Public Health and Environment
Tobacco
Facts About Smoking
 Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 identified chemical compounds, 43 of which are known to cause cancer, and 401 are toxic.
The terms "light" and "mild" are grossly misleading, since they imply a healthier cigarette or tobacco product. Smokers regulate their nicotine intake by the intensity, volume or frequency of puffing to get their desired nicotine dose.
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.
Most smokers aren't offered effective smoking-cessation counseling, classes or drugs until they are adults. By that time, the addiction is well entrenched.
Youth who smoke three or more cigarettes have a high likelihood of becoming regular smokers.
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.
If You're a Smoker
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.
- If you smoke 1½ packs daily (30 cigarettes), you get 300 "hits" of nicotine to the brain each day.
- You feel an immediate "kick" causing a sudden release of glucose and an increase in blood pressure, respiration and heart rate.
- Your risk of getting lung, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney, ureter and bladder cancer is greatly increased.
- You're putting your family and friends at risk for getting heart disease and lung cancer if you smoke around them.
- You're more likely to have asthma, wheezing, chest discomfort, reduced lung function and chronic bronchitis.
- You're also more likely to have eye, nose and throat irritation.
And, If I'm a Pregnant Smoker?
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.
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