The Negative Effects of Tobacco on Sexuality

Initially, the effects of tobacco are felt in the brain. About seven seconds after the first inhalation of smoke, the neurotransmitter serotonin ceases to regulate the release of endorphins because they have been artificially replaced, in an illusory and ephemeral manner, by the alkaloids in tobacco. This explains why tobacco produces an immediate stimulating effect.

In the rest of the body, tobacco causes constriction of the blood vessels. This impairs blood circulation and causes a drop in blood pressure. These effects take place everywhere, from the major arteries to the sex organs, where reduced circulation means less engorgement and less sensation. Over the long term, smoking thirty to forty cigarettes a day can cause some individuals to lose their ability to achieve an erection.