Effects of smoking and alcohol

Tabacco smoke

The main chemicals in tabacco smoke are:

• carbon monoxide - stops red blood cells carrying oxygen
• nicotine - is addictive
• tar - irritates and causes cancer
• particulates - collect in the lungs and block them

When tabacco smoke gets into lungs there is no way out and many lung diseases are linked to smoking - some of the chemicals can get into blood and cause heart disease.

Many manufactures make 'low tar' cigarettes because the tar is dangerous when it collects in air sacs and aveoli inside the lungs. They irritate lungs and are carcinogens (chemicals known to cause cancer)

Tiny particulates also collct in lung tissue, blocking the exchange of gases and…