7 unexpected side effects of smoking
Cigarettes can affect your health and appearance in surprising ways.
Jan 18, 2026
Written byTaylor Lupo
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Slide 1
In the United States, smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability, and disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 28 million adults in the U.S. smoke cigarettes, and each day about 1,600 young people try a cigarette for the first time.
Smoking affects your lungs, but did you know that it can take a toll on the rest of the body, too? In addition to an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease, smoking also causes changes to your appearance, and may even contribute to early menopause. In fact, the CDC states that smoking causes harm to almost every organ in the body.
Here are seven additional ways that smoking can affect your life.
Sources (16)
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