Every once in a while I jump on my high horse and start preaching the dangers of tobacco to any poor sap who feels like listening. In truth, I don't really care if you feel like listening, you smoke, I preach, you smoke around kids, I preach louder.

Smoking is bad enough but smoking around children means you clearly don't know the facts of what tobacco is doing to those around you who do not smoke. These days there is just too much information available to deny the truth about tobacco usage. Dropping tobacco is not only beneficial to you but for those around you. It is with these simple facts in mind that I rant on...

Among the countless resources online for educating about tobacco and its effects, the best all around resource I've found is tobacco-facts.info. Tobacco Facts has a wealth of information on the risks of tobacco and smoking as well as published information on larynx and lung cancer, emphysema, and epidemiology.

Tobacco is a drug unlike any other where its effects are not immediate. It may also take a few weeks to a month or more to become dependent on tobacco but once hooked, it's likely you may struggle with tobacco use the rest of your life. If you are or care for someone who smokes (as most of us do), you owe it to yourself to help educate them on tobacco use and do all you can to support them in their fight to quit.

Facts about tobacco and tobacco usage:

• Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
• Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body.
• Women are at increased risk for infertility.
• Smoking is a major contributor to strokes.
• There are 4000 chemicals in tobacco, 100 of which are poisons and 63 which are known to cause cancer.
• Nicotine has been classified as a class 1 insecticide.
• Approx. 3000 Americans die of exposure to "environmental" tobacco smoke (second hand smoke).
• In the U.S., approx 3900 youths aged 12 - 17 try their first cigarette.
• Smokeless tobacco causes cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and gum recession.
• Nicotine has been found to be as addictive as heroin, cocaine and alcohol.
• Every 8 seconds, someone in the world dies from tobacco related issues.

Ingredients of a cigarette:

There are 599 additives approved for use by the United States Government in your average cigarette some of which are demonstrated in the image below. For a complete list of ingredients added to cigarettes visit tobacco.org.

Health Effects of Smoking Tobacco:

The following images help to demonstrate the effects of tobacco on one's body (click images to enlarge).

Discuss tobacco facts in our forums.

Additional Resources:

1. cdc.gov
   
2. Cost Kids

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