To Smoke or Not to Smoke?

Why do people smoke? l To look cool or sophisticated l To appear grown up l To fit in with peers l To calm nerves

Advertisements Say that smokers are rugged

Advertisements Say that smoking makes you slim and sexy

So what is the reality? l Smoking makes you sick and tired l It ages your face and body prematurely

It makes your clothes and breath stink!

Tobacco gives you a hacking cough

It affects your heart l High blood pressure l Heart disease l Hardening of arteries l Heart attack and stroke

It affects your lungs l Asthma l Bronchitis, pneumonia l Emphysema, lung cancer l Respiratory infections l Respiratory disease

Tobacco contributes to other illnesses l Eye, nose, and throat disease l Colds, flu l Lowered immunity l Osteoporosis l Blood disease

Finally it kills you l 1200 people die a day from tobacco related causes l One cigarette is equal to losing 5 to 20 minutes off your life

What are the poisons in tobacco? l Nicotine - cardiac poison l Carbon Monoxide - drives oxygen out of blood l Tar - cancer producing chemical l Hydrazine - rocket fuel

Tell us more! l Benzene - cancer causing l Formaldehyde - cancer causing l Ammonia - toxic gas l Hydrogen cyanide - rat poison l Acetone - nail polish remover

And that is not all! Smoking tobacco produces 43 chemicals that cause cancer, 400 chemicals that are toxic and 200 chemicals that are known poisons.

Hey, but I dip or chew! l But you can still die of cancer of the throat and gums l You can have receding gums or tooth loss l You can have oral carcinomas and sores

But what about cigarettes calming my nerves? Scientist now believe that adolescent smoking contributes to anxiety disorders that can continue on into later life.

So what can I do? Don’t smoke!