text: The smoke from cigarettes is an effective delivery system directly to the lungs as it is inhaled giving one's body a direct dose of chemicals from the inhaled smoke including the powerful drug nicotine that quickly passes from the body tissue into the bloodstream and is carried by the circulatory system.  Nicotine, the active ingredient of tobacco, is a mild central nervous stimulant and a stronger cardiovascular system stimulant. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, increasing blood pressure and stimulating the heart, and raises blood fat levels. Smoking effects all the organs, blood vessels and heart in the body. The immediate effects of smoking are increased blood pressure, heart rate and central nervous system stimulation.  The long term effects are tissue ( think face wrinkles from smoking), heart and blood vessel damage and the onset of smoking related diseases and cancers.