Cigarettes are made up of tobacco which comes from the tobacco plant. The most addictive ingredient in cigarettes is nictotine which kicks in about 8 seconds after you've had a drag. Nicotine is hugely addictive and it's this that gets you really hooked on smoking.

The nicotine in cigarettes stimulate the body an curb appetite and for those people who are addicted, sparking up a cigarette helps keep them calm and relieves stress.

Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemicals - and some of them are really poisonous

Smoking and your health

It's no secret that smoking does you no favours with regards to your health. In fact, it affects the following:

Your skin:
Smoking speeds up the aging process and can leave you with wrinkles earlier than normal.

Your teeth:
Smoking stains your teeth and leaves you with bad breath. Smokers are also more at risk of gum disease and losing teeth prematurely.

Your lungs:
Your lung capacity will diminish which in later years can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age to wheezing when climbing the stairs.

The length of your life:
Half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases. Quitting not only adds years to your life, but it also greatly improves the chance of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age.

Your stress levels:
The withdrawal from nicotine leaves smokers feeling stressed with cigarettes only relieving that temporarily. Ex-smokers can also concentrate better and have increased mental wellbeing.

Your senses:
Giving up smoking gives your senses of smell and taste a boost meaning food can taste a million times better than before.

Your energy levels:
Smoking reduces circulation. Giving up can make physical activity like walking and running much easier. It also boosts the immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu.

Time to give up?

We're not saying that giving up is easy but it really is worth it. You'll feel the difference in your energy levels and save money - the NHS Choices website allows you to track how much you've saved. Have a look at these self-help tips on the NHS website.

Need more help?

Have a look at these websites or call the freephone numbers to get more information and support:

Talk to Frank - Phone 0800 77 66 00 or text 82111

NHS Smokefree - Phone 0800 022 4 332

Quit - Phone 0800 00 22 00