Smoking Immediately Harms Lungs and DNA, Report Finds
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Smoking causes immediate lung, cardiovascular and DNA damage that may lead to illness or sudden death, U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin said.
New research shows that a toxic mix of more than 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes can harm the body “from the moment they enter your mouth” by attacking tissues as smoke travels to the lungs, Benjamin said in a report issued today. Smoking also weakens the immune system’s ability to prevent damaged DNA from causing cancer, she said.