What is one major health risk associated with arsenic exposure?

Arsenic is recognized as a potent carcinogen, which means that prolonged exposure significantly raises the risk of developing various forms of cancer. This association with cancer stems from arsenic's ability to interfere with cellular processes, leading to mutations in DNA and promoting the growth of tumorous cells. A variety of studies have demonstrated that long-term exposure to arsenic, particularly through contaminated drinking water, is linked to increased rates of skin, bladder, and lung cancers. Understanding this risk highlights the importance of monitoring and managing arsenic levels in drinking water and other environmental sources to protect public health.

The other options, while they present serious health issues, do not have the same direct and well-established connection to arsenic as increased cancer risk does. Respiratory distress and kidney failure may arise from different toxicological profiles or environmental exposures, and vision impairment is not a commonly recognized consequence of arsenic exposure.