Tobacco kills over 400,000 people per year. Tobacco kills more people than AIDS, car and plane crashes, alcohol, homicides, fires and illegal drugs combined. Cigarettes account for 95% of tobacco use. Nicotine is addictive. It stimulates & depresses the nervous system. In its pure form, nicotine is a powerful poison. Tobacco smoke contains hundreds of other toxins, such as carbon monoxide, sticky tars, arsenic, hydrogen cyanide and polonium-210.
Tobacco causes its most immediate damage to the lungs, heart, blood vessels, mouth & throat. Over time, tobacco toxins can cause cancer of the lungs, throat, kidneys & other organs. Women who smoke while pregnant may have a miscarriage or give birth to an underweight baby. On average, long-term tobacco use reduces one’s life span by 10 years. Secondhand smoke kills up to 62,000 non-smokers each year. In the U.S. 22% of adults use tobacco in some form.
Teen Tobacco Use: Age 11-13: 13 % Age 14-18: 28 % Cigarettes Smoked Per Person: 1900: : 4, : 1,979 Nicotine is more addictive than heroine or cocaine. Tobacco is packed with over 4,000 harmful chemicals, 50 are known to cause cancer. One drop of pure nicotine would kill a human being.
Arsenic- a deadly rat poison Acetone- a chemical often used in paint thinner Benzene- used in rubber cement Cadmium- found in artists’ oil paints (leaves yellow stains on teeth) Carbon monoxide- toxic gas found in car exhaust fumes Formaldehyde- used to preserve dead bodies
Tar- dark, thick sticky liquid that forms when tobacco burns. Tar gets into the lungs where it is known to cause cancer, emphysema and other diseases. Ammonia- colorless, sharp smelling gas used in toilet bowl cleaners Write your own top 20 reasons not to smoke using info. from the video, the body system handout and your notes.