Expert weighs in on what's really worse for your health: smoking or drinking

Smoking tobacco and drinking too much alcohol are widely considered very bad for the body. But is one less harmful than the other?

They harm many organs, including the heart, liver and lungs, and raise the risk of serious long-term illnesses including cancer.

But when it comes to which is worse for your health, the answer is less straightforward. Both can cause significant damage, but they affect the body in different ways and the risks depend on how much and how often a person smokes or drinks.

But does one pose a greater threat than the other?

We asked Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy about the question many people ponder about smoking and drinking.

Dr Grant, who qualified as a doctor in 1985, explained to UNILAD the short-term and long-term effects of both.

What happens to your body in the short term?

While nicotine is the active ingredient in tobacco, it's not the only harmful chemical in cigarettes. Cancer Research UK said that there are over 5,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke of which at least 70 have been linked to cancer.

Decades of scientific research have revealed the health risks associated with smoking. With nicotine being the addictive component of tobacco, other methods of taking nicotine such as vaping and patches have been developed.

“Smoking has an almost immediate effect on the body,” says Dr Grant. “It raises heart rate and blood pressure within minutes, and the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry, which is why smokers often notice they get breathless more easily during everyday activities.”

He says alcohol ‘works differently’ however it also causes fast changes in the body. “It impairs coordination and decision-making within the first drink or two, which is why the risk of accidents and injuries rises so sharply on a night of heavy drinking.

“Many people also assume alcohol helps them sleep, when in reality it disrupts the deeper stages of sleep, which is often why a heavy night leaves you feeling tired and foggy the next day."

While the occasional drink in moderation isn't going to destroy your health, regular drinking can seriously harm your body over time.

Smoking has been linked to a large number of health issues (Getty Stock Image)

Smoking vs drinking: the long-term risks

Both habits carry long-term risks. While smoking is linked to lung cancer, COPD, heart disease and stroke, it is also associated with different cancers including mouth, throat, bladder and pancreatic.

Dr Grant says it is also linked with fertility issues and premature ageing.

Drinking heavily over time is also linked to cancers and other serious medical conditions. “Regular heavy drinking, meanwhile, can progress from fatty liver to more serious conditions, and is linked to cancers of the breast, mouth, throat and bowel, as well as high blood pressure, weight gain and mental health difficulties when it becomes a regular coping mechanism.”

There are growing sober-curious movements such as dry January, which have now extended well beyond one month as people embrace low alcohol or alcohol-free drinks.

When regular drinkers give up drinking, many report feeling some positive changes after just a day.

Regular alcohol consumption is a serious health concern (Getty Stock Image)

The most noticeable change is probably hydration. Once the booze is out of your system, your body can absorb water normally again which leads to better digestion, clearer thinking, and more energy.

Your blood sugar will also start to normalise because alcohol disrupts your liver's ability to regulate glucose.

As many as one in five people who drink heavily over the long term will develop alcohol-related liver cirrhosis, reports the charity Drinkaware. While cirrhosis cannot be reversed, stopping drinking completely can improve outcomes for some people.

With smoking, some people experience only mild symptoms when they quit but others can find it harder.

Around eight hours after giving up smoking, the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood have halved. Consequently, oxygen will be able to reach your heart and muscles more easily.

Although you may feel cravings, which is normal, listening to music or chewing gum can help.

Which habit carries the greater risk?

Both harm the body in different ways and Dr Grant says neither ‘should be seen as the safer option’.

He adds: “Overall, it’s difficult to say one is dramatically worse than the other.

“Cutting back on either brings a genuine health benefit.”

If you've been affected by addiction and want to speak to someone in confidence, you can call American Addiction Centers on (888) 324-0595, available 24/7, or contact them through their website.