TOBACCO

What is tobacco? Tobacco is a woody, shrub-like plant with large leaves. It is estimated that there are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco (many are cancer-causing)

Dangerous substances in Tobacco Nicotine An addictive drug found in tobacco leaves and in all tobacco products Addictive means “capable of causing a user to develop intense cravings.” Once the drug has been in the body regularly, the person becomes dependant on it.

Dangerous substances in tobacco TAR A thick, oily, dark liquid that forms when tobacco burns Causes serious lung diseases such as emphysema and lung cancer

Dangerous substances in tobacco Carbon monoxide A poisonous, colorless, odorless gas This gas passes through the lungs and into the bloodstream where it reduces the amount of oxygen the blood vessels can carry This can weaken muscles and blood vessels leading to heart attack and stroke

TOBACCO PRODUCTS Cigarettes Cigars Pipes Smokeless tobacco (or chewing tobacco) Contains 15 times more nicotine than cigarettes

TOBACCO PRODUCTS CAUSE: Bad breath Yellow teeth Stains on fingers Premature wrinkles Tooth decay Gum disease

TOBACCO PRODUCTS CAUSE: Lung disease Heart disease Cancer Stroke Infertility 400,000 cigarette smokers die every year from smoking-related illnesses

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM Short term Long term Withdrawal symptoms may occur as soon as 30 minutes after a cigarette Heart rate and blood pressure increase Long term Increased risk of stroke

THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Short term Shortness of breath, reduced energy, coughing Colds and flus are more frequent Long term Asthma, allergies, chronic bronchitis Lung cancer Emphyesma COPD

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Short term Long term Upset stomach Dulled taste buds Tooth decay Long term Cancer of the mouth, throat, gums Stomach ulcers Bladder cancer

THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Short term Heart rate increases – less energy Long term Blood vessels are weakened and narrowed High cholesterol Clogged arteries Greater risk of heart disease

ADDICTION Tobacco is JUST AS addictive as heroin or cocaine More than 80%of all adult smokers start smoking as a teenager More than 1/3 of all teens who ever try one cigarette become daily smokers before leaving high school The earlier in life smoking starts, the less likely the person will ever quit

ADDICTION Tolerance: a process in which the body needs more and more of a drug to get the same effect Psychological dependence: an addiction in which the mind sends the body a message that it needs more of a drug

ADDICTION Physical dependence: a type of addiction in which the body itself feels a direct need for a drug Withdrawal: physical and psychological reactions that occur when someone stops using an addictive substance Can include headaches, tiredness, increased hunger, jitters, restlessness

TOBACCO’S COST TO SOCIETY $157 BILLION each year in health care costs related to tobacco use The average smoker spends $225 per month That is almost $3000 per year! People who smoke live shorter lives than people who do not Burning tobacco is the leading cause of house fires and forest fires

Polite ways to be tobacco free… If your parents smoke… Request that your room be a smoke-free zone Give your parents information on quitting smoking Leave the room when someone is smoking

Polite ways to be smoke free… In a car pool… Ask your parents to talk to the driver about not smoking when you are in the car When a friend offers… Use your refusal skills Say no firmly Give reasons why Offer other options If they don’t stop, leave