Tobacco Smoking
By: Christina G. Jenna H. Ella H.
What is it, and how is it used?
- A cigarette is any roll of tobacco wrapped in paper or in any substance not containing tobacco. It is the most widely used tobacco product in the USA.
- The direct inhalation of tobacco smoke is the basis of major health hazards
- It is an agricultural crop that looks like brown cut up leaves.
What Are Some "Street Names" For The Drug?
- Smokes
- Cigs
- Butts
- Cancer sticks
- Squares
Short Term & Long Term Affects
- One long term affect is that tobacco smoking is known to cause cancer in humans, tobacco smoking is generally held to be the leading preventable cause of cancer in developing countries.
- For a short term affect, the nicotine in tobacco causes a short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and the flow of blood from the heart.
- (Long-term) smoking also causes damage to the arteries. This is why many vascular surgeons refuse to operate on patients with PAD (poor blood circulation in the arms and legs) unless they quit smoking.
- Smoking also causes many short term affects such a poor lung function. This is why smokers suffer from shortness of breath and nagging coughs. They often tire quickly during physical activity.
Facts About Smoking
- More than 16 million people already have at least one disease from smoking.
- More than 20 million Americans have died because of smoking since 1964, including approximately 2.5 million deaths due to exposure to second hand smoke.
- More than 100,000 of the smoking-caused deaths over the last 50 years were babies who died of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
- Children are at particular risk to exposure to second hand smoke; 53.6 % of young children (3-11 years) were exposed to second hand smoke in 2007 - 2008.
- More than 33,000 non-smokers die every year in the US from coronary heart disease caused by exposure to second hand smoke.