Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals that damage the brain.

Some studies indicate that nicotine incigaretteCigarettes may improve concentration and attention. But cigarettes contain more than just nicotine. A single cigarette is made up of over 4,000 chemicals. Fifty of them are highly toxic, such as: carbon monoxide, also found in car exhaust fumes; butane, found in burning gasoline; arsenic; and ammonia, found in rocket fuel.

Therefore, smokingcigaretteNicotine doesn't make you more focused. Long-term exposure to all these toxic chemicals can lead to brain damage, reduced memory, and impaired learning ability. Long-term smoking has been shown by researchers to cause short-term memory impairment (prospective memory), coordination, and concentration.

Short-term memory impairment means you'll frequently forget tasks you need to do in the near future, such as appointments, medications, turning off the tap, brushing your teeth, or replying to emails. Reduced executive function means you can't plan your work effectively. Reduced concentration means you're constantly distracted by external factors. If all three of these abilities are impaired, smoking will undoubtedly make your life much worse. Smokers also experience temporary memory loss.

Recent studies have also indicated a link between passive smoking and temporary memory impairment. Non-smokers who inhale secondhand smoke also face similar health problems, including lung disease, cardiovascular problems, cognitive issues, and now, memory problems.

Conversely, studies on people who quit smoking show improvements in brain function. For example, the cerebral cortex, the outermost layer responsible for processing information and memory, increases in thickness when someone quits smoking. As we age, the cerebral cortex thins, but smoking can cause it to decrease in thickness much faster. Passive smokers are similarly affected.