Not just lungs but also every cell of the human body and the hard organs like bones and teeth get adversely affected by smoking, said Professor Uma Kumar, Head of Rheumatology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

Kumar said that first-hand smoke and second-hand smoke both are equally harmful to health. Expressing concerns about rising smoking habits among women, she said that it may result in infertility, cases of which are also rising these days. Also, smoking may lead to premature birth.

People generally think that smoking affects the lungs only, but the case is different, it affects every part and is one of the important risk factors for growing numbers of cases related to autoimmune diseases, Kumar said while speaking on the prevention of deaths caused by tobacco on the occasion of World Health Day.