Smoking makes one look old?

[Byzantine Prince]

I have been hearing that smoking is really bad for your youthfulness. Is this true? Is there any scientific data for this?

Thanks.

[King of Atlantis]

well,

*teeth get yellow
*skin wrinkles

so, yes it makes you look old.

[Al Khalifah]

I think it has something to do with your body getting alot less oxygen.

I remember reading however, that oxygen is what makes the body age. It was an article suggesting that people who do less exercise but behave themselves live longer than those who do lots of exercise because of the increased oxygen intake causing ageing. Who knows.

I'd say smoking causes ageing because of the increased stress it puts on the heart and lungs to keep you alive. When your heart is struggling to pump out enough blood and your lung capacity is durastically reduced, the strain this puts on your body will probably cause ageing. Also, the chemicals in cigarettes poison the skin and smoke in general will damage your skin.

[Papewaio]

Smoking gives you shortness of breath, hacking cough ... neither of which come across as youthfull and energetic. They also increase the chances of impotence and the erect penis length to decrease...

Plus the standard allotment of cancers...

[Moros]

it's also bad for your furtility(sp?)

[Dâriûsh]

But at least it makes you look cool.