What’s the harm?

We all know that nicotine is what makes cigarettes addictive, but there are other ingredients in those little sticks that cause more harm to our health – and it all happens when we burn them.

When we light up, tobacco burns at up to 900°C, releasing more than 5,000 chemicals. Most are poisonous, such as arsenic, formaldehyde and benzene (an industrial solvent), and up to 70 can cause cancer.

Cigarette smoke also contains carbon monoxide, which rockets our risk of heart disease and stroke. Then there’s the sticky brown stuff called tar that collects in our lungs and can cause deadly emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Be warned: filtered, low-tar or “light” cigarettes are not safer options and won’t reduce the risk of disease.