[The endocrine effects of smoking]

Almost one third of men and women smoke in Belgium. Besides the well known tobacco's neck and cardiopulmonary systems adverse effects as well as associated neoplasms, today we recognize other deleterious consequences of tobacco on the neuroendocrine, thyroid and reproductive systems. Not only active smokers but also the fetus carried by a smoking mother is at risk for important health problems. Tobacco is a recognized risk factor of occurrence of ophtalmopathy. Some of the active components of tobacco as the thiocyanates are goitrogenic. Tobacco is a risk factor for men and women's infertility. Newborns from parents that smoke are at risk for sudden death. These consequences represent a major public health issue. A campaign for smoking cessation has been recently launched by the Federation of Public Health Service and the INAMI in Belgium.