Public Health and Environment

Tobacco

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 identified chemical compounds, 43 of which are known to cause cancer.
The terms "light" and "mild" are no longer used, but packaging has changed. Green is still menthol, but blue, silver and other colors denote the level of nicotine in the product. Smokers regulate their nicotine intake by the intensity, volume or frequency of smoking.
The average smoker starts at age 12 and nine out of 10 American smokers start using tobacco before they are 19.
Many regret it right away; by college, half of the smokers say they are trying to quit. On average, it takes smokers 18.6 years before they finally quit. The average former smoker tried to quit nearly 11 times.
Tobacco will kill 50 percent of those young people who start smoking early and keep it up. Half of those, 50 percent, will die in middle age, losing an average of 22 years of normal life expectancy.
Nicotine:
- is the addictive chemical in tobacco;
- increases heart rate and blood pressure;
- narrows blood vessels;
- decreases blood flow from the heart and oxygen in the blood;
- increases risk for hardening of the arteries and blood clots.

You breathe in hundreds of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals including formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, cyanide and methane just to name a few, as well as tar and nicotine.
Nicotine is the primary chemical in tobacco that acts on the brain and is recognized as one of the most frequently used addictive drugs.
Your risk of getting lung, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney, ureter and bladder cancer is greatly increased.
Tobacco kills more than 430,000 United States citizens each year - more than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, car crashes, fire and AIDS combined.
You're more likely to have asthma, wheezing, chest discomfort, reduced lung function and chronic bronchitis.

Maybe you know other women who smoked and had healthy babies. Or, maybe you smoked during another pregnancy and everything was okay. But, if you smoke when you are pregnant you are taking a big chance with your baby's health because your baby is being exposed to second-hand smoke every time you light up.
Your baby can be born too early, before the lungs are ready.
Your baby may have to stay in the hospital after you go home.
Your baby may be underweight. Babies who are underweight are often sick and have many health problems. They don't sleep or eat as well either.
The best thing you can do for yourself and your unborn child is quit smoking.