Tobacco: Secrets Uncovered
Be Smart, Don't Start.
Flyer By: Celeste Munoz
Truth about the cancer sticks:
Smoking cigarettes and chewing causes many health risks, including;
- Increased risk of heart disease by 2 to 4 times
- Increased risk of lung cancer for men by 23 times, for women by 13 times
- You're 2 to 4 times more likely to get stroke
- Dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases is 12 to 13 more likely
- On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers
Besides lung cancer, tobacco causes several cancers;
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Cancer of the oral cavity
- Stomach cancer
- Cancer of the uterus
Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths annually. That's 5 million preventable deaths, 5 million lives that could be still living every year if they just didn't try tobacco.
Tabacco products contain:
- Over 4,000 chemicals, 50 of which are known to be carcinogenic (cancer causing) in cigarettes
- As for chewing tobacco, 23 chemicals of the chemicals found in it are carcinogenic
- Cigarettes contain ammonia, which is used as toilet cleaner
- Also formaldehyde or embalming fluid they use on dead bodies
- The worst of all is nicotine, one of the most addictive substances known to man. This is what gets you hung on tobacco, what gets you so attached that you feel like it's impossible to let go
If you are addicted, there are ways for you to get help:
The greatest challenge to overcome is nicotine withdraw, some ways to defeat this are;
- Nicotine gum
- Lozenges
- Patches
- Anti-Anxiety medication
- Prescription medication
For smokers, another difficult thing is getting used to having something in your hands;
- Start knitting to get rid of the temptation
- Stress balls
- Puzzles
- Even handheld games, just to keep your hands busy
For chew, you get used to having something in your mouth. Get over this by;
- Chewing regular gum
- Suck on hard candy, and lollipops
- Eat sunflower seeds, or any type of whole seed
Changing your routine, and exercise are two great tips for both cigarettes and chew.