Learn how smoking affects your health!

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Smoking is something that’s pretty common in Nigeria, with more than 11 million men in the country being smokers.

While women also smoke, it’s more common among men.

People might smoke tobacco in the form of cigarettes, cigars, or hookah/shisha, although cigarette smoking is the most common.

Smoking cigarettes (or other tobacco products) gives a temporary feeling of relaxation and improved focus, thanks to the nicotine, which makes it highly addictive.

However, smoking has serious health risks.

It's the biggest cause of diseases and deaths that can be prevented worldwide.

How Smoking Affects the Body

• Smoking increases your risk of developing hypertension and heart disease.

• Smoking causes coughing.

• In people with asthma, smoking makes it worse.

• Smoking for a long time destroys the airways and damages the lungs, making it hard to breathe.

• Smoking increases the risk of developing lung cancer and throat cancer.

• Pregnant women who smoke are at risk of having a miscarriage, having babies with low birth weight, or having a stillbirth.

• Smoking also increases the risk of developing stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.

• Smoking also increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and skin cancer.

Quitting smoking is the best way to avoid these health problems if you're a smoker.