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How smoking can affect your body right now

If you're reading these words in March, you're probably not thinking much about the final exams that you're going to take in June. If it's September, you're probably not concerned about the science project that you have to finish by Christmas. But you probably are thinking a lot about the math test that you have to take today and the English paper that you'll be turning in tomorrow.

The way that most people think about their health is much like the way that they think about school. Most people are far more concerned about what's happening right now than about what may happen in the distant future. This may be one reason why people don't pay as much attention as they should to the warning labels on cigarette packages. Those labels focus on long-term concerns -- such as an increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and emphysema. They don't mention the harmful things that smoking can do to your body right now. To find out about those, you need to follow the links on the left.

But perhaps the most important effect that smoking can have on you right now is one that we haven't discussed yet -- nicotine addiction. Becoming addicted to nicotine is a huge problem for teenagers who smoke, just as it is for adults. It can happen very quickly in young people.

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Related effects short-term short-term gateway page asthma decreased endurance disgusting to kiss environmental tobacco smoke eye irritation fire deaths impaired lung function impaired sense of taste increased blood pressure increased heart rate increased respiratory symptoms injuries pleasant feelings poor perfusion poorer general health skin irritation throat problems tolerance use despite harmful effects withdrawal symptoms in children of mothers who smoke withdrawal symptoms	short-term gateway page the bottom line How smoking can affect your body right now If you're reading these words in March, you're probably not thinking much about the final exams that you're going to take in June. If it's September, you're probably not concerned about the science project that you have to finish by Christmas. But you probably are thinking a lot about the math test that you have to take today and the English paper that you'll be turning in tomorrow. The way that most people think about their health is much like the way that they think about school. Most people are far more concerned about what's happening right now than about what may happen in the distant future. This may be one reason why people don't pay as much attention as they should to the warning labels on cigarette packages. Those labels focus on long-term concerns -- such as an increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and emphysema. They don't mention the harmful things that smoking can do to your body right now. To find out about those, you need to follow the links on the left. But perhaps the most important effect that smoking can have on you right now is one that we haven't discussed yet -- nicotine addiction. Becoming addicted to nicotine is a huge problem for teenagers who smoke, just as it is for adults. It can happen very quickly in young people.