Men who smoke face an increased risk of heart disease, which is already higher in men than in pre-menopausal women.
Nearly 50 percent of bladder and kidney cancer in men is caused by smoking, a higher percentage than in women.
Men under age 65 who have smoked a pack or more a day for over 40 years, face a 100 percent increased risk (twice the normal risk) of developing more aggressive forms of prostate cancer compared with nonsmokers.
If the thought of increased disease risk doesn’t put you off smoking, perhaps vanity will: Smokers are prone to premature thinning and greying of the hair. Men who smoke are twice as likely to become bald as men who don’t smoke, and premature greying is three to six times more common in smokers.
Cigar smoking also poses a risk for male smokers (and for the few women who smoke cigars). Cigars contain a high level of nicotine - many times that of cigarettes. Some premium cigars contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.