A cigarette is made up of over 4,000 chemicals, of which over 40 are known to cause life threatening disease such as cancer. These chemicals include:
- arsenic – a type of poison
- formaldehyde – highly poisonous, used to preserve dead bodies
- acetone – a solvent, such as nail polish remover
- cyanide – another poison
These chemicals are what makes up the tar found in the cigarettes which is drawn into your lungs when you inhale cigarette smoke. Once inhaled the tar is condensed and about 70% is deposited in the lungs.
Cigarettes also contain nicotine which is a powerful and fast acting drug that is poisonous in large amounts.
Another chemical is carbon monoxide which is an odourless, tasteless poisonous gas – the same gas which comes out of car exhausts and from gas fires. In large amounts carbon monoxide is rapidly fatal. Carbon monoxide is carried around the body when you inhale cigarette smoke, in replacement of oxygen – causing you to become out of breath easily.
