• Cigarette smoking poses many risks.cigarette image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com
  
  Many people find it difficult to quit smoking. However, the risks of smoking make quitting worth the effort. This habit poses many risks such as critical illness, cosmetic drawbacks, and pregnancy complications. Arsenic, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide are chemicals in cigarettes responsible for these risks as they are poisonous to the human body.
  
  

Critical Illness

• Cigarettes cause heart attacks due to atheosclerosis.heart image by cherie from Fotolia.com
  
  Cigarettes are responsible for many illnesses like heart attacks and cancer. This deadly habit promotes atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Hardened arteries constrict, allowing less blood flow to the heart. This constriction of blood flow results in heart attacks.
  
  This habit also causes cancer to numerous body organs such as the lungs, pancreas, esophagus and stomach. Smokers ingest cancer promoting chemicals like formaldehyde, vinyl chloride and cadmium from cigarettes.
  
  

Cosmetic Drawbacks

• Wrinkles occur around the mouth from smoking.closed mouth image by martin schmid from Fotolia.com
  
  Smoking poses several cosmetic drawbacks like premature aging or the development of wrinkles. These wrinkles are commonly noticed around the mouth. People will also have yellowish brown teeth and chronic bad breath from cigarette smoke.
  
  

Pregnancy Complications

• A baby may die from placental abruption because of a mother's smoking habits.baby image by Dron from Fotolia.com
  
  A mother puts an unborn child at risk if she smokes. Smoking promotes premature labor, causing the child to be underweight and develop lung problems. Placental abruption is another possible occurrence. The separation of the placenta from the uterus causes death to the fetus due to lack of oxygen.