• Question: Do you also research the smoke from cigarettes and its effect on our health?

    Asked by to Heather on 23 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Heather Price

      Heather Price answered on 23 Jun 2014:

      Hi delia,

      I haven’t looked at cigarette smoke myself, but lots of other scientists have investigated smoking.

      Cigarette smoking is responsible for about 5 million deaths per year worldwide and is linked with diseases like cancer, heart disease and strokes. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers.

      Like air pollution, when you smoke you breathe tiny particles down deep into your lungs where they cause the problems. Choosing to smoke is a bit like deciding to go to the most polluted place you can think of (like right by a car exhaust) and breathing in really deep – not a very good idea!! And don’t try this at home 😉

      Smoking is also really expensive and makes your clothes smell, so it has lots of drawbacks not just to do with health.

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