You’ve tried threatening them with cancer, wrinkles and yellow teeth, but still the smoker in your life keeps on puffing. Well, now you have the coup de grace of threats: Keep smoking and your nipples will fall off.

They don’t have to know that this is a potential consequence for smokers who undergo breast lifts. And it is one, seriously. Dr. Anthony Youn, writing on CNN’s The Chart, says, “Yes. Smokers who undergo breast lifts are at great risk of losing their nipples. I’ve seen it before.”

“The nicotine in cigarettes and the carbon monoxide contained in cigarette smoke can diminish blood flow to various parts of the body. These toxins act as a virtual tourniquet. If the blood flow to a particular body part becomes greatly reduced or halted, that body part dies.”

He goes on to tell a grisley-but-also-kinda-funny story from his memoir “In Stitches” about a smoker whose nipples turned purple— the precursor to them turning black, which is the precursor to them falling off— on whom they had to use leeches to get the blood flow going again. Whatever other gross thing you’ve let attach to your nipple before (I’m thinking exes) you probably really don’t want a leech there.

The story is well worth a read. Now practice saying it with me “You know, if you keep that up your nipples will fall off.” They’ll roll their eyes. And you’ll say “No, really. I read it online.”

That oughta settle it.