Smoke Screen: The Immune System's Battle Against Cigarettes
Mar 10, 2025•11 min
Episode description
Story at-a-glance
- Cigarette smoke weakens your body's immune cells, making it harder to fight off respiratory infections and increasing the risk of lung diseases
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy triggers abnormal immune responses in children, leading to higher risks of allergic conditions such as asthma and atopic dermatitis
- Smoking alters immune system function, causing prolonged inflammation and genetic damage that creates an environment conducive to malignant cell growth
- Smoking impacts both innate and adaptive immune responses, with some short-term inflammatory changes reversing after quitting, while adaptive immune modifications persist longer
- Quitting smoking requires identifying personal triggers, avoiding e-cigarettes, maintaining an active lifestyle and using mind-body techniques to manage cravings