Cancer is so prevalent in that approximately 39 percent of people will be diagnosed with it at some point in life. With odds that high, it’s a wonder anyone would do anything to put themselves at an even higher risk. While some factors are uncontrollable, such as genetics, age and hormones, staying away from a number of addictive drugs can lower your risk of developing certain types of cancer. If you are concerned about developing cancer in your lungs, liver, mouth or other areas, stopping your drug addiction can be a step toward improving your chances.

Nicotine

While nicotine itself does not lead to cancer, it can keep you coming back to ingesting all of the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes and chewing tobacco. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States are linked to tobacco use. There are 250 harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, including 69 that are known cause cancer. Tobacco smoke not only causes cancer in the lungs, it also can harm the mouth, throat and several other organs throughout the body. Secondhand smoke is harmful to non-smokers as thousands of people get cancer from secondhand smoke every year.

Alcohol

Most scientists agree that drinking alcohol regularly increases chances of the drinker developing a form of cancer. As a matter of fact, 3.5 percent of cancer deaths in the United States are linked to alcohol. In the body alcohol is converted into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. The chemical causes cancer by damaging DNA and preventing cells from repairing properly. Acetaldehyde is most commonly formed in the liver, throat, mouth and intestines, making them more likely cancer areas for drinkers.

Cocaine

The University of Southern California found that the use of cocaine can more than double the chances of developing non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It is also common for dealers to mix their cocaine with chemicals to sell more product. Two popular drugs cocaine is cut with are levamisole, a drug that attacks white blood cells, weakening the immune system, and anesthetics, which sometimes lead to complications with the brain, heart and lungs.

Anabolic Steroids

When properly used, anabolic steroids can actually aid in the treatment of certain cancers. Unfortunately when abused, steroids can lead to a wide variety of ailments, including cancer. The liver takes the brunt of the damage caused by the drug, as it is the part of the body responsible for processing steroids in the body. Steroid users have been found to have tumors and cysts in the liver, leading to internal bleeding when ruptured. Steroids have also been found to raise the chances of prostate cancer in men, while increasing the chances of cervical cancer in women.

Opioids

Studies done at the University of Chicago have shown that opioids may stimulate and expand tumors in the body. The studies showed that patients with either breast or prostate cancer saw better results when treated with regional anesthesia, rather than morphine, an opioid.