Question

Is a substance in tobacco smoke that reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen?

Answer 1

Carbon monoxide is the substance primarily responsible for reducing the blood's ability to carry oxygen. This occurs because red blood cells latch on to carbon monoxide as if it were oxygen, and so carbon monoxide ends up taking up as much as 15% of the blood's oxygen carrying capacity.

Answer 2

Tobacco smoke contains various ingredients with most dangerous including tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide among other many ingredients with high potent. In this case, carbon monoxide is the ingredient that reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Carbon monoxide binds hemoglobin permanently forming a complex stable compound called carboxyhemoglobin thus reducing the blood flow.