 We explain why smoking is bad for you. Billy gets pressured in high school. Why? He doesn't smoke. His friends mock him, and he's called a sissy, so why doesn't he give in? Because Billy knows about the risks of smoking, smoking is the most common cause of preventable death in the world, and smokers even undermine the health of non smokers. Cigarettes are made of tobacco, which is then burned. Smokers inhale the cigarette smoke which consists of mostly toxic compounds. The most addictive one is nicotine, but it doesn't cause cancer. This drug is the reason why smokers have difficulty to quit smoking and it reaches the brain extremely fast. The second largest compound is carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous gas that has neither taste nor smell. It's absorbed into the bloodstream and if too much of this gas is inhaled, it leads to coma and death. Well, and then there's tar. This consists of multiple cancer-causing chemicals, which will mostly remain in the lungs. It results in a coating of the inside of the lungs and will influence your ability to breathe. But lung problems aren't the only ones you have to consider. Smoking also leads to heart attacks or strokes. Be like Billy. Don't give into pressure. Stay strong and healthy. Remember, smoking also risks the health of people in your environment. If you want to quit smoking, ask your doctor for help. He will aid and guide you into your nicotine-free life.