Facts There are about 4000 chemicals in tobacco, and out of the 100 identified poisons, 63 are known to cause cancer Nicotine is an addictive drug that takes only 6 seconds to reach your brain Smoking kills more people than cocaine, heroin, alcohol, fire automobile accidents, homicides, suicides, and AIDS combined. Every 8 seconds, someone in the world dies from a tobacco related illness More than 3 million people under the age of 18 smoke about a billion cigarettes each year, over half of those people consider themselves dependent on cigarettes Smoking is responsible for every 1 out of 5 American deaths About 430,000 people die needlessly every year from smoking, which means smoking kills about 1,200 people every day A person who smokes dies an average 7 years earlier than someone who doesnt smoke Kids who smoke experience changes in the lungs, and reduced lung growth. They risk not achieving normal lung function as an adultHere Are Some Ingredients Found In Tobacco: Arsenic (used in rat poison) Acetic Acid (hair dye and photo developer) Acetone (main ingredient in paint and fingernail polish remover) Ammonia (typical household cleaner) Benzene (rubber cement() Cadmium (found in batters & artists oil paint) Carbon Monoxide (poison) Hydrazine (used in fuel for jet ad rockets) Formaldehyde (used to embalm dead bodies) Naphthalene (used in explosives, moth balls, and paint pigments) Nickel (used in the process of electroplating) Polonium Radiation Dosage (equal to 30 chest X-rays in 1 year)Teen Smoking Decision to start smoking is almost always made in the teen years Smoking is the # 1 preventable cause for premature death 90% of adult smokers are addicted to tobacco before they reach the age of 18, 50% are addicted before the age of 14, and currently the age of initiation to tobacco is 11.

Harming Others An estimated 3000 non-smoking Americans die of lung cancer every year Kids who have 2 smoking parents are more likely to become smokers than the kids who have non-smoking parents Among infants up to 18 months of age, secondhand smoke is associated with as many as 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia every year. Secondhand smoke from a parent's cigarette increases a child's chances for middle ear problems, causes coughing and wheezing, and worsens asthma conditions. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies whose weights are too low for the babies' good health. If all women quit smoking during pregnancy, about 4,000 new babies would not die each year. Smoking can cause chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke It can cause cancers of: cervix, pancreas, kidneys Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to babies with low birth weight Nicotine causes short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and flow of blood from the heart Arteries narrowHow to quit Set a date for quitting If you feel like smoking, chew on gum or suck on hard candy instead Keep yourself busy and occupied Change your morning routine Put away your ash trays and cigarettes Eat regular meals Tell friends and family youve decided to quit, and tell them why Reward yourself at the end of the day by going to a movie or out for dinner