ABUSE MAGAZINE
these efforts have been scaled
back. We know what works
to keep young people tobacco-free, but we don’t always
do what is necessary. We have
already made some progress in
reducing tobacco use by youth.
Let’s finish what we started
and make the next generation
tobacco free.
The lungs of young smokers
don’t perform as well as those
of nonsmokers. Because their
lungs don’t work as well, they
are short of breath and may
have more trouble participating in sports and other physical activities. Even though
people who stop smoking will
improve their health dramatically, early lung damage
doesn’t go away completely in
most cases.
Painting & Protective Coating
2000 North 24th • Quincy, IL
217-222-6710
We are proud to paint an
ABUSE FREE future for
our youth.
“We are
proud
to light
the way
towards a
drug free
future.”
SMOKING CAN LEAD
TO CANCER
tobacco-free. We can:
• Create a world where seeing people
smoke or use other tobacco products
is the exception, not the norm.
• Take steps that make it harder for
youth to use tobacco, such as raising
cigarette prices and enforcing laws
that prohibit the sale of tobacco to
children.
• Further limit tobacco marketing that
is likely to be seen by young people.
• Limit youth exposure to smoking in
movies and other media.
• Educate young people and help them
make healthy choices.
• Set an example—encourage young
people to avoid tobacco use by
quitting ourselves.
For many decades, local and state health
departments, schools, and federal programs
have taken steps to protect youth from
tobacco use. But in recent years, many of
Tobacco smoke contains
about 70 chemicals that can
cause cancer. It’s no surprise, then, that
smoking causes about one in three of all
cancer deaths in the United States. And it
can cause cancer almost anywhere in the
body by damaging DNA.
Youth—a Great Time to Quit
The good news: Smokers who quit before
age 30 will undo much of the health damage
caused by tobacco use.
Why Is It So Hard to Quit?
Tobacco users often get hooked on nicotine— the drug in cigarettes, cigars, and
smokeless tobacco (snuff and chewing
tobacco). Many teens and young adults plan
to quit using tobacco after a few years but
find out too late how powerfully addictive
nicotine can be. Like heroin and cocaine,
nicotine acts on the brain and creates
feelings of pleasure or satisfaction. Young
brains are still developing. That may be
one reason many teens feel dependent on
tobacco after using it for only a short time.
Quitting isn’t easy, but it can be done.
Better yet—don’t start!
Not starting is even better
than quitting. Their health
depends on it!
217-222-7154
426 State St. • Quincy, IL
I Do Bridal
We
DO
in being
support our youth
ABUSE FREE.
421 N. 32nd St. • Quincy, IL
217-224-5721
3639 Maine St. • Quincy, IL
217-223-6800
“We are proud to Unite
with our youth to keep
them ABUSE FREE!”
abusemagazine.org | Illinois Winter 2014 |
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