Subject: Tobacco
1. Introduction
Information about tobacco and nicotine
Tobacco is a green, leafy plant that is grown in warm climates. After it is picked, it is dried, ground
up, and used in different ways. It can be smoked in a cigarette, pipe, or cigar. It can be chewed (called
smokeless tobacco or chewing tobacco) or sniffed through the nose (called snuff).
Nicotine is one of the more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes and its smoke. It is the chemical that
makes tobacco addictive or habit forming. Once we smoke, chew, or sniff tobacco, nicotine goes into
our bloodstream, and our body wants more. The nicotine in tobacco makes it a drug. This means that
when we use tobacco, it changes our body in some way. Because nicotine is a stimulant, it speeds up
the nervous system, so we feel like we have more energy. It also makes the heart beat faster and raises
blood pressure.
HEALTH RISKS
Smoking is one of the largest factors contributing to the poor health. It is estimated that 24% of all
deaths are due to smoking. 13% of 15 year olds smoke (2010). Each year, smoking is responsible for 1
in 5 deaths. Smoking contributes to 90% of the cases of lung cancer but can also contribute to many
other forms of cancer and other diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, damaged blood vessels and
arteries.
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