Tobacco deadly in all its forms

By Lorraine LobosOctober 22, 2010

Tobacco deadly in all its forms
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Is chewing tobacco as bad as cigarettes'

Yes.

Both cigarettes and chewing tobacco are toxic to your body.

You may hear more about the harm cigarettes do to the body, but chewing tobacco can also hurt your health.

Chewing tobacco can cause sores and white patches in your mouth, as well as diseases and cancers of the mouth, gums and throat.

Chewing can give you bad breath, discolor your teeth and cause tooth loss. One chew contains 15 times the nicotine of a cigarette, meaning the risk of addiction is much higher.

Is smoking cool' Definitely not.

Every day we see images on the Internet, in tobacco company advertising and in movies that depict smoking as cool, sexy, professional and glamorous.

What we don't see is that every day 3,000 children become regular smokers.

This youthful smoking can have severe, lifelong consequences.

Teens who smoke are more likely to use illicit drugs and drink more heavily than their nonsmoking peers.

Don't think that only cigarettes that can cause damage to your health, cigars and chewing tobacco can also cause cancer.

Smoke from pipes and cigars can harm you, too.

Many people who smoke pipes and cigars do not inhale, but they have more risk of getting cancer of the lip, mouth, tongue or throat.

Additionally, most people who switch from cigarettes to pipes do inhale. Is tobacco addictive'

Yes, cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addictive.

All ways of using tobacco - cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff - are ways of getting nicotine into your body.

Nicotine works fast. When you smoke a cigarette, nicotine is absorbed quickly through the lungs and into the bloodstream. Once it is in the bloodstream, nicotine reaches the brain within seconds.

Nicotine in chewing tobacco and snuff is absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth or nose. Reasons not to smoke or chew tobacco include:

Aca,!AcBad breath

Aca,!AcStained teeth and hands

Aca,!AcCough/sore throat

Aca,!AcProblems breathing

Aca,!AcFeeling tired and out of breath

Aca,!AcWrinkles

Aca,!AcArguments with parents, friends

Aca,!AcCancer risk

Aca,!AcHeart disease risk

Aca,!AcGum disease risk

Aca,!AcBad smell in clothes, hair and skin

Aca,!AcCigarette burns in vehicles or on clothes

Aca,!AcRisk of secondhand smoke to bystanders

Aca,!AcBrighter smile

Aca,!AcHealthier teeth and gums

Aca,!AcSaving money. At $3 or more a can, a chewer can save a lot of money by quitting. If a person dips a can a day, that's more than $1,000 a year!

Aca,!AcReducing cancer risk. Chewing tobacco contains 28 cancer-causing chemicals. Three quarters of mouth and throat cancers are caused by tobacco and only half of those diagnosed are alive five years later.

Aca,!AcReducing risk of heart disease and high blood pressure How can you get prepare to quit smoking or chewing tobacco'

Set a quit date, preferably around a relatively stress-free time.

If you like, announce your intended quit date to a group and ask for quit buddies, or join a group that has already formed. Belonging to a club usually gives extra support and adds accountability.

If you want to quit smoking, you'll need willpower - and perhaps the aid of a product that's intended to help you beat the addiction.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a variety of smoking cessation products.

These include prescription medicines as well as over-the-counter products, such as skin patches, lozenges and gum.

Smoking cessation products are regulated through FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, which ensures the products are effective and their benefits outweigh any known associated risks.

Remember, smoking kills not only your health and well-being, but also that of others. Start to live healthier today because tomorrow could be too late!