system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What exactly is it about smoking that causes all the negative repercussions? Is it the smoke? The nicotine or tar? Is an electronic cigarette a safer method?
gpt
Few of the well known negative health effects of smoking are directly caused by nicotine. It does have some negative effects on blood pressure regulation and large pure overdoses can be lethal. Nicotine overdose is possible if you combine smoking and patches. There is also some evidence that nicotine may contribute to birth defects.

Damage to the lungs and the cancerous effects are principally a result of the combustion products and tar from the cured tobacco leaves.