One cigarette a day damages DNA, and can be deadly

William Atkins
Sunday, 12 December 2010 00:25

Science - Health

The U.S. Surgeon General reported on Thursday, December 9, 2010, that even one cigarette a day can have deadly consequences, as can breathing in second-hand smoke from tobacco-based products.

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin stated that, based on a new report on health and smoking, even small amounts of first-hand smoke or second-hand smoke can have adverse health consequences, especially for people already with health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.

The new report by the office of the Surgeon General is called 'How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease.'

 

The reports talks about new discoveries on just how deadly tobacco is to the health and well-being of the human body. The reports states, ''¦ how deadly cigarettes are and how quickly they can damage your body.'

In fact, one cigarette immediately injures a human being, and has the potential to kill a human being with pre-existing medical conditions.

The press release of the Surgeon General provides a quote from Dr. Benjamin: 'The chemicals in tobacco smoke reach your lungs quickly every time you inhale causing damage immediately Inhaling even the smallest amount of tobacco smoke can also damage your DNA, which can lead to cancer.'

Dr. Benjamin also stated, 'We didn't know the fact that when you inhale one cigarette it affects the lining of the blood vessels.' [WebMD (12-9-2010): 'Surgeon General: No Amount of Smoking Is Safe']

The report by the Surgeon General concludes with, 'The evidence on the mechanisms by which smoking causes disease indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke.'

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