In research described as "a stark warning" to those tempted to start smoking, scientists are reporting that cigarette smoke begins to cause genetic damage within MINUTES–not years–after inhalation into the lungs.

And there is growing evidence that exposure to a group of chemicals known as type-2 alkenes–found in many different sources, including the smoke inhaled from cigarettes, the exhaust of automobiles and even the steam from French fries–can increase the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.
read more

At this year’s holiday celebrations, try to avoid rooms filled with second-hand smoke (especially if you’re pregnant): Exposure to nicotine during pregnancy leads to a decrease in adult stem cells and a change in the brains of the offspring. Researchers say this could be a possible cause for behavioral problems such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) seen in children whose mothers smoked.
read more

Smoking is a worldwide epidemic, an emergency situation that builds slowly, while the smoker isn’t noticing. This means it’s time to quit! We once gave you the advice to go cold turkey, but now it turns out that gradually cutting down (with the aim of quitting completely) may work just as well. If you have trouble quitting, it may be because smoking is in your GENES. And why do some people who DON’T smoke get lung cancer anyway?
read more

One cancels out the healthy effects of the other – Scientists have some bad news (for some of us anyway): We all know that they go together and while smoking is just generally unhealthy, drinking a glass or two of wine a day can be healthy, but NOT if you also smoke!
read more