rganautaTobacco and alcohol in 3D
Smoking damages almost every organ in the body: it is the most common cause of lung cancer and COPD, and it affects the heart and blood vessels. Its…
Explained for every age
For kids (7–11)
Your body is like a house that stays with you all your life, and it's worth taking care of. Cigarette smoke and alcohol can damage the lungs, the liver and other parts of the body. The good news: choosing not to smoke and not to drink alcohol while you grow is a powerful way to take care of yourself.
For teens (12–16)
Smoking damages almost every organ in the body: it is the most common cause of lung cancer and COPD, and it affects the heart and blood vessels. Its nicotine is very addictive, which is why it's much easier never to start than to quit. The smoke also harms people who breathe it nearby. Alcohol, for its part, slows down the brain, and in adolescence it can interfere with the brain's development, which continues until past age 20. Making these decisions with good information helps you take care of yourself and others.
Pre-Med (17+)
Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in many countries: combustion smoke delivers thousands of compounds, including carcinogens, oxidants and carbon monoxide, and causes cancer (lung, mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, among others), COPD, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy complications. Nicotine sustains use through dependence. Electronic cigarettes expose users to nicotine and other substances, with long-term effects that are still uncertain. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant with multi-organ toxicity (liver, pancreas, heart, brain) and cancer risk even at low levels of consumption; in adolescence it alters neurodevelopment, and early initiation increases the risk of alcohol use disorder.
What you can explore
Healthy lungSmoker's lungCilia damageEmphysemaNicotine addictionVaping and e-cigarettesSecondhand smokeAlcohol and the liver
Missions
- Caring for my lungs and my body Explorer
- Informed decisions Discoverer
- Pathophysiology of tobacco and alcohol Pre-Med