Stop Smoking

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds, which are present either as gases or as tiny particles. These include:

Nicotine
This is what is addictive. It stimulates the central nervous system, increasing the heartbeat rate and blood pressure. In large quantities nicotine is extremely poisonous.

Tar
Brown and treacly in appearance, tar consists of tiny particles and is formed when tobacco smoke condenses. Tar is deposited in the lungs and respiratory system and gradually absorbed. It is a mixture of many different chemicals, including: formaldehyde, arsenic, cyanide, benzo[a]pyrene, benzene, toluene, acrolein.

Carbon Monoxide
This binds to haemoglobin in the bloodstream more easily than oxygen does, thus making the blood carry less oxygen round the body.