The Effects of Tobacco
Tobacco
is a plant that grows in many of the southern states of the U.S.
It is a large leafed plant that is dried and either smoked (cigarettes,
cigars and pipes) or placed in the mouth (chewing tobacco and
dip or snuff). Nicotine is the poisonous, psychoactive drug contained
in all tobacco products. It stimulates the central nervous system
and is highly addictive. Approximately 365,000 people die every
year from tobacco related diseases.
Cigarettes,
Cigar and Pipe Tobacco Facts:
Smoke
from burning tobacco contains more that 3,000 chemicals. Three
of the most poisonous chemicals are:
- Tar:
Tar is a sticky, gummy residue created by burning tobacco.
It damages a smoker's lungs and respiratory system. If a
person smokes one pack of cigarettes a day, he will accumulate
up to 8 ounces of tar in his lungs in a year. Damage to
a smoker's lungs can lead to lung cancer, emphysema, and
acute bronchitis.
- Carbon
Monoxide:
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas.
It enters the bloodstream and replaces some of the oxygen
in a smoker's bloodstream. Carbon Monoxide damages a smoker's
circulatory system and can lead to heart disease.
- Hydrogen
Cyanide:
Hydrogen cyanide is a poisonous gas that temporarily paralyzes
the cilia (tiny hairs that line the nose and bronchial tubes).
Cilia help to keep the lungs free from germs. Long term
smoking results in the permanent destruction of the cilia.
Damage to the lungs can lead to lung cancer, acute bronchitis,
emphysema and other lung ailments.
Method
of Ingestion:
Smoked.
Short-
and Long-Term Effects of Smoking Tobacco:
- Increased
blood pressure and heart rate
- Acute/chronic
bronchitis
- Diminished
sense of smell/taste
- Gastric
ulcers
- Premature
and increased facial wrinkling
- Emphysema
- Heart
disease
- Cancer
of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, lungs, pancreas,
cervix, uterus, and bladder
Chewing
Tobacco and Dip (Snuff) Facts:
Chewing
tobacco and dip (snuff) are smokeless products made from crushed,
ground tobacco leaves that have been sweetened or flavored. These
products are placed in the mouth between the cheek and the gums
and mix with a "dipper's" or "chewer's" saliva. Tobacco's psychoactive
drug, nicotine, is absorbed into the bloodstream through the blood
vessels of their mouth lining. Smokeless tobacco products are
just as addicting as cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco.
Method
of Ingestion:
Smokeless tobacco is placed between the cheek and gum in the mouth.
It mixes with a user's saliva.
Short-
and Long-Term Effects of Smokeless Tobacco:
- Increased
blood pressure and heart rate
- Tooth
decay
- Discolored
teeth and gums
- Bad
breath
- Gum
ulcers
- Gingavitis
(gum disease)
- Tooth
loss
- Pre-cancerous
lesions (white patches) on cheek and gums
- Cancers
of the mouth, tongue, lips, gums, throat, esophagus
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