• RSS
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
Posted by India Herbs - Ancient Remedies for Modern Times - - 0 comments


Smoking a single cigarette causes genetic damage to the body within minutes rather than years, researchers say.

In a report - described as 'a grim warning' to those tempted to start smoking - scientists found that cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco form rapidly after the first inhalation from a cigarette.

An estimated 24.8 million men and 21.1 million women are smokers. Half of long-term smokers will die prematurely due to cigarettes. They are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

A harmful substance widely known as PAHs or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been studied and long believed to be one of the main causes of lung cancer, but up till today it is not known how the chemicals caused DNA damage in humans. Another harmful substance known as phenanthrene was included in the study. They found that phenanthrene quickly forms a toxic substance in the blood known to trash DNA, causing mutations that can cause cancer.


The smokers developed maximum levels of the substance in a time frame that surprised even the researchers: just 15 to 30 minutes after the volunteers finished smoking.

The researchers said the effect is so fast that it's equivalent to injecting the substance directly into the bloodstream.

If you are craving for another stick, think again. And if your tempted to start, think hard again.



India Herbs - Ancient Remedies for Modern Times