Seniors

For those with asthma, tobacco smoke — both firsthand and secondhand — can irritate your airway, triggering an asthma attack. If you suffer from asthma, avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Buerger's disease causes blood vessels to swell and clot, most often in arms and legs. This leads to a multitude of issues including pain, damage to your tissue and even gangrene.

Nearly every diagnosis of Buerger's disease is linked to use of tobacco products like cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco.

Not only can using cigarettes and other nicotine delivery systems cause cancer, but it can also make fighting off these diseases seem fruitless. Using tobacco products can cause your immune system to worsen, which makes fighting off cancer difficult. 

According to the CDC, smoking and secondhand smoke cause almost 90 percent of lung cancer deaths. Cancer caused by smoking is not limited to your lungs — it can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body.

If you are a routine smoker or have quit within the last 15 years, it is recommended that you receive annual cancer screening.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a group of diseases that restricts airflow and causes breathing problems. COPD is often caused by cigarette smoke. According to the CDC, as many as 80 percent of COPD-related deaths are caused by smoking. Youth secondhand smoke increases the risk of developing COPD in the future.

Cigarette smokers are 30-40 percent more likely than nonsmokers to develop type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC. Current diabetics who smoke are also more likely to struggle managing their condition.

The CDC reports that smoking with diabetes puts you at a higher risk of ailments such as:

• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Poor blood flow, which causes infections and ulcers
• Peripheral neuropathy (damaged nerves)
• Retinopathy (can lead to blindness)

Smoking increases the risk of developing gum disease and losing teeth. Keep an eye out for symptoms like swollen or tender gums, sensitive or loose teeth, painful chewing and more.

In one of four deaths from cardiovascular disease, smoking is a major contributor. Learn more about how smoking can lead to heart disease and stroke.

If you smoke, your eyesight may be in danger. You could develop cataracts or macular degeneration (blurry vision).