Cigarettes, marijuana and all tobacco and smoking substances affect a singer or speaker in multiple ways and with long-term consequences. The damage caused by cigarettes is well-documented, but few people realize that the inhalation or “drag” of a cigarette creates an influx of air heated up to 1500 degrees Farenheit. Essentially, any type of smoking bakes the lungs and, over time, destroys the alveolar sacs in the lungs that are responsible for the gas exchange between fresh oxygen for the blood and removing the waste by-product of carbon dioxide. The diseases such as emphysema and COPD are horrible conditions in which these tiny sacs of alveoli, all 600 million of them, have been irreparably degraded over time, becoming unable to effectively manage the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide as well as expel the mucous that lodges in there as well.

Marijuana has similar effects on the lungs but has the added effect of altering one’s mental status, making it an absolute no-no for performers who need to keep their wits about them on stage and in the dark areas backstage.

External conditions such as a dry climate or breathing in second hand smoke can dry out the vocal instrument, but ingestibles can also reduce the hydration levels of the nasal cavity, the mouth and the throat. Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body from the inside, leaving auxiliary processes such as vocal production literally high and dry. Alcohol has the added consequence of altering one’s cognitive function, motor skills and reaction time. Many serious singers, including Broadway performers, avoid alcohol completely when nearing a big audition or beginning the run of a show.