National Health Goals Introduction Tobacco and Nicotine - Tobacco and its smoke contain over 400 noxious chemicals, including, 200 known poisons and 50 carcinogens.
- Nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco.
- Smokeless chewing tobacco is as addictive (and maybe more so) as smoking and produces the same kind of withdrawal symptoms upon quitting.
The Health and Economic Costs of Tobacco - Tobacco use affects all organs of the body and is the most preventable cause of death in our society.
- Smoking has tremendous economic costs.
- The health risks from tobacco are directly related to overall exposure.
- Cigar and pipe smokers have lower death rates than cigarette smokers but still are at great risk.
- Secondhand smoke poses a significant health risk.
- Although exposure to secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone, the risks are particularly severe for children and adolescents.
- The health risks of smokeless tobacco are similar to those of other forms of tobacco.
The Facts about Tobacco Usage - At one time, smoking was an accepted part of our culture, but the social norm has changed.
- The prevalence of smoking is higher in Europe and is especially high in China.
- Most tobacco users begin "using" during adolescence and find it hard to quit.
- The media play a role in promoting and preventing tobacco use.
- Legal claims against the tobacco industry have aided in antismoking campaigns.
- Public policy can affect tobacco use.
- Tobacco companies are finding new ways to recruit smokers.
- Various factors influence a person's decision to begin or quit smoking.
- People who smoke cigarettes tend to also use alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs.
- The addictive nature of nicotine makes it difficult to quit using tobacco.
Strategies for Action: The Facts About Quitting - Some techniques and strategies increase the probability of breaking the nicotine addiction.
- The good news is that when you quit, you may feel better right away and your body will eventually heal most of the damage.
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