Facts & Effects of Smoking

Smoking and smoking-related health complications constitute the single greatest cause of preventable, premature death in America each year. That's about 400,000 deaths each year that are directly related to tobacco usage.

Numerous Smoking Facts are documented today, that identify not only health dangers to the smoker, but also dangers of second hand smoke to innocent bystanders. In fact, recent studies on the dangers of secondhand smoke ("Environmental Tobacco Smoke" ETS) show a significant correlation with low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), in addition to bronchitis, pneumonia, a triggering/aggravating factor for asthma and middle ear infections in children. For adults, the greatest danger of secondhand smoke has been identified as a source of lung and nasal sinus cancer, spontaneous abortion, as well as eye and nasal irritation, aggravation of cystic fibrosis, and decreased pulmonary function.

Smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes contain over 4,000 chemicals. At least 43 of these are known to cause cancer. Other toxins include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, and DDT. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of a variety of life-threatening diseases, including heart disease, stroke, emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, lung, mouth and throat cancer. It also contributes to cancers of the bladder, pancreas, uterine, cervix, kidney, stomach, and some leukemias.

The most familiar toxins can be quite deadly.

• Nicotine is a drug found naturally in tobacco. The intense addictive qualities of nicotine are well documented. Nicotine reaches the brain six seconds after being inhaled. It acts as a depressant and is a deadly poison in large doses, affecting the heart, blood vessels, and hormones.
• Tar is a sticky substance that coats the lungs and impairs it's function.
• Carbon monoxide limits red blood cell's ability to carry oxygen throughout the body.

A lifelong smoking habit often starts in the teen years. Statistics show that teen smoking in America is up to 33% and 25% of the adults use tobacco today. Also shown is that 70% of smokers would like to quit smoking. You could help to change the statistics of these smoking facts by quitting. You would also be decreasing the dangers of second hand smoke to others. It's never too late to quit, no matter how long you've been smoking. Our lives are a result of the choices we have made up to this point. Over 53 million Americans have stopped smoking. You can too! Let the "Break Free" Stop Smoking Program help you in this choice.