Some Harmful Components Of Cigarette Smoke
If you thought that nicotine is the only harmful component of cigarettes,
you are sadly mistaken. There is a whole array of them present to harm
your body. Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of compounds
produced by the burning of tobacco and additives. Apart from the usual
stimulant nicotine, cigarette smoke contains tar, which is made up of
more than 4000 chemicals including around 60 known carcinogenic
chemicals. Nearly all of them are deadly. Some are also the cause of
lung & heart disease and emphysema. Some are known for their adverse
effects on bones and skins. You might be surprised to find the names of
some of the deadly chemicals in your cigarette smoke. Some of them are
as follows:
1) Cyanide: It is a chemical compound that
contains a cyano group.
2) Benzene: also known as Benzol is an organic chemical compound
that is a flammable and colorless liquid.
3) Formaldehyde: is a compound in the form of gas that has a very
pungent smell.
4) Methanol (wood alcohol): is the simplest alcohol that is also
known as methyl alcohol.
5) Acetylene (the fuel used in welding torches): is an unsaturated
chemical compound that is also the simplest alkyne hydrocarbon.
6) Ammonia: is found everywhere in the environment but is very
toxic in combination with certain elements.
Cigarette smoke also contains some of the deadly and poisonous gases
such as nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide which can be very harmful for
a person's health.
The above given list gives a clear picture
that no threat dimension is left when it comes to the components of
smoke. Anything and everything that is bad for health is a part of
smoke. So, just beware when you light your next cigarette.