Tobacco EducationChapter 21

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Which of the following kills more people per day each year – alcohol, cocaine, heroin, murder, car accidents, or tobacco?

Tobacco kills 1,200 per day! That is over 400,000 deaths every year. More people die from tobacco related illnesses than from alcohol, cocaine, heroin, murder, and car accidents all combined.

How does this apply to you?

• Each day 3,000 teenagers start smoking.

• 3 out of 4 people who die from tobacco started smoking before they were 18 years old.

• Tobacco companies need your business! They lose over 5,000 customers each day (they either die or quit). Young people can become long term customers, so they want you to smoke!

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Why is smoking so unhealthy?

Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemicals. Some of these chemicals are naturally occurring in tobacco, many are added by tobacco companies, and others are a result of the chemical combustion that occurs in a burning cigarette. Here are just a few chemicals you might find in tobacco smoke and what they are commonly used in:

1. acetone (nail polish remover)

2. acetic acid (vinegar)

3. ammonia (Windex/toilet cleaner)

4. arsenic (rat poison)

5. butane (cigarette lighter fluid)

6. cadmium (rechargeable batteries)

7. ethanol (alcohol)

8. formaldehyde (preserver of human and animal tissue)

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9. Carbon monoxide – car exhaust fumes.10. Hexamine – barbeque lighter fluid.11. Hydrogen cyanide – gas chamber poison.12. Methane – swamp gas.13. Napthalene – moth balls.14. Nicotine – insecticide/addictive drug.15. Methanol – rocket fuel.16. Stearic acid – candle wax.

Tobacco Commercials from the 1970’shttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWXWUG1z_Q8

Anti-Tobacco Campaign 2014http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks2L6XFLAeAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oJZm5YBCL0

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How does smoking affect your body?

Short - term effects of smoking:

1. Bad breath.

2. Yellow teeth.

3. Yellow fingers.

4. Heart beats faster.

5. Dizziness and headaches.

6. Smelly clothes /hair.

7.Coughing.

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Long – term effects of smoking:

1. Addiction.

2. Bronchitis.

3. Wrinkles.

4. Loss of taste/smell.

5.Heart disease.

6.Cancer.

7. Endurance loss.

8.Emphysema.

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Is chewing tobacco dangerous?Using chewing tobacco can be just as dangerous as using cigarettes. Containing many of the dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes, chewing tobacco is also loaded with sugar to make it taste better. This leads to accelerated tooth decay. In addition, tobacco companies add fiberglass (tiny shards of glass) to chewing tobacco that creates tiny cuts in the gums in order to speed nicotine delivery through the blood stream. Small sores (Leukoplakia) can develop and become cancerous. To avoid the spread of cancer the affected areas of the jaw, palette, and tongue must be CUT OUT! Still, only 50% of patients diagnosed with oral cancer survive after 5 years. That is about 1 person per hour in the U.S. that dies from oral cancer. Other effects of chewing tobacco include:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIlll5c4zH8

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1. Yellow teeth.

2. Reduced sense of taste.

3. Bad breath.

4. “Hairy” tongue.

5. Gum disease.

6. Gum recession.

7. Tooth abrasion.

8. Gingivitis.

9. Cavities.

10. Lip/tongue cancer.

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So why not just quit?

Nicotine won’t let you!

Nicotine, the addictive chemical in tobacco, is one of the hardest drugs to beat! It is as addicting as cocaine and heroin! Like other addictive drugs, nicotine changes the chemistry in your brain and convinces your body that you need it. It gives you good feeling when you use it and bad feelings when you don’t, so it is very difficult to quit. When someone who uses tobacco is not getting enough nicotine, they feel uncomfortable. This is called withdrawal. Common withdrawal symptoms of nicotine include:

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1. Irritability.

2. Impatience.

3. Hostility.

4. Anxiety.

5. Depressed mood.

6. Difficulty concentrating.

7. Shakiness.

8. Increased appetite.

9. Restlessness.

10. Decreased heart rate.

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What about secondhand smoke?Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a mixture of the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers and the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar. It contains more than 250 chemicals known to be toxic or cancer causing. Given that there is no risk-free level of second hand smoke even brief exposure can be harmful. Secondhand smoke has been estimated to cause at least 53,000 annual deaths in the United States from illnesses such as coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema. (AHA, 2005). Infants and children exposed to secondhand smoke are especially susceptible and are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear infections, more severe asthma and other health problems (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, 2006).

How many of the 50 states have outlawed smoking in public places?

• As of January 2014, 28 states have enacted statewide bans on smoking in all enclosed public places, including all bars and restaurants.

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Why do people start using tobacco?

Tobacco companies use many advertising tactics to entice kids to smoke. The following are some of the characteristics advertisers portray to try and trick youth into thinking positively about smoking. In their ads people are portrayed as the following:

1. Successful – elegant, mature, adult, and sophisticated.

2. Popular – well-liked, social, and center of attention.

3. Romantic – physically attractive.

4. Independent – adventurous, rebellious, self-assured, and mature.

5. Healthy – clean, active, and refreshing.

6. Happy - joyful, exhilarated, playful, and ecstatic.

7. Funny – humorous, clever, and witty.

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Rather than being manipulated by an advertisement, analyze it. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the message of the advertisement?

2. What words are used to describe the product?

3. Do you think it is a true reflection of the product?

4. What does the picture have to do with tobacco?

5. What image do the models project?

6. Is the product good for me?