Did You Know?

Chemicals in Tobacco
Would you pour nail polish remover (Acetone) over your cereal in the morning, or brush your teeth with mascara (Stearic Acid) ? Of course not! Would you use shaving cream (ethanol) in place of whipped cream on a piece of pie? Nope! Yet, when you use tobacco, you are taking these chemicals into your body! There are over 4,000 chemicals in tobacco. 200 of them are heavy metals like cadimum (which is used to make batteries). Over 200 of the chemicals are carcinogenic (cancer causing).

A few of them are listed below.

Acetone: Nail Polish Remover contains acetone, a poison

Ammonia: A poison used for cleaning

Arsenic: A poison which causes death

Hexamine: A cancer causing chemical used to make barbeque lighter fluid

Cadmuim: A heavy metal used in making batteries. It would destroy your internal organs

Carbon Monoxide: A deadly poison which comes from the exhaust of a vehicle

DDT: A deadly poison used for killing bugs

Stearic Acid: Used in making mascara, aftershave lotion and hair gel

Formaldehyde: A Poisonous chemical used to preserve dead bodies

Nicotine: An addictive drug used in insecticides {Bug Killers}

Toluene: a poisonous chemical used in industrial cleaning

Hydrogene Cynaide: A deadly poison used in the gas chamber

Second Hand Smoke

Tobacco smoke is comprised of over 4,000 chemicals, 43 of which are known to cause cancer in humans. These chemicals take the form of tiny particles, gasses, and vapors which are activated and inhaled when tobacco is lit and chemicals are released into the air. Unfortunately, smoke from tobacco doesn't just affect the person using the air. Tobacco is similar to water - it can flow through tiny cracks in units, follow pipelines, air ducts, and even electric plug - in vents. It also travels through air conditioning/heating systems. It will "leak" through the walls from one unit to another. This smoke is called "Second Hand Smoke" and is dangerous to both adults and children. For example, if you check into a non-smoking room at a hotel, you may still be affected by second hand smoke if the hotel rooms near the room you are using allows smoking.

Second Hand Smoke exposure has proven to cause many child and adult diseases and disorders. For example:
	SHS increases the development and progression of asthma. It also triggers asthma attacks
	Increases chronic throat infections
	Causes lung cancer
	Heart Disease
	Impaired lung function
	Irritated, burning, watering, itchy eyes
	Upper respiratory infections
	Impairs the healing process, ie: colds last longer, infections are harder to treat, prolongs illnesses
	Irritates and burns nasal passages
	Increases runny noses, coughing, irritates sinuses
	Causes noxious odors - it just stinks

Why You Smoke Quiz

Nicotine is more addicting than heroin and cocaine. Many people continue to smoke, even though they would like to quit, partially because they have become dependent upon the drug in tobacco, Nicotine. However, most people find they are "hooked to tobacco" even more because of the psychological (emotional) bonding, as well as the habitual (habit) addiction.

Do you wonder what keeps you smoking or chewing, even though you may want to quit? Take the WHY DO YOU SMOKE quiz. Find out some interesting info about why you use tobacco.

Instructions: Print this sheet then check yes or no to the following nine questions: and then check your answers!

Questions:		Yes:	No:
1.	Is it extremely hard for you to go a half day without smoking?
2.	Do you have a strong hunger to smoke?
3.	Do you feel like you need to smoke a certain number of cigarettes each day?

4.	Do you find yourself smoking a cigarette when you weren't even aware of lighting up?
5.	Do you pair up smoking with other activities, like drinking coffee, watching TV, talking on the phone, etc.?
6.	Do you sometimes unintentionally go a whole day without lighting up?

7.	Do you smoke more after having an argument with someone?
8.	Is smoking one of the most important pleasures in your life?
9.	Does the thought of never smoking again make you feel unhappy?

Quiz Answers
Most people will find their smoking and/or chewing habit is a combination of all three ways mentioned below. However, you will probably find that your addiction is strongest in one of the three areas. Once you are aware of how you are addicted to using tobacco, you can begin preparing in advance how you will deal with situations as they arise without smoking or chewing.

You will probably find you aren't as addicted to the drug (Nicotine) as much as you thought you were. Withdrawing from nicotine will be uncomfortable, but not painful. These withdrawal symptoms vanish within a few days. Although they are uncomfortable, they aren't painful. If, like most users, you find your using has simply become a habit, the strategies below can help you break the habit. You may find that smoking is like having an old friend around. Or, you may be emotionally bonded to smoking or chewing. Once you find where your addiction lies, it will be easier to find techniques to help you get through tough times without using.

	If you answered yes to questions 1, 2, and 3 you are mostly hooked because of the chemical - Nicotine.	Nicotine is an addictive substance Body craves the drug nicotine Cravings go away in a few days when you quit smoking Chemical addiction is the easiest to break.
	If you answered yes to questions 4, 5, and 6 you keep smoking mostly because smoking has become a habit.	Habits are much harder to break than the chemical dependence Unintentionally link smoking up with other things (watching TV, drinking coffee, etc. After a few weeks of repetitions, habits are well formed and more difficult to break. Strong bonds make smoking a strong habit to break
	If you answered yes to questions 7, 8, and 9 you keep smoking mostly because of emotional, or psychological bonds.	A strong bond has formed without your consent or even knowledge to smoking Helps you deal with stress, anger, boredom, etc. Smoking is like an old friend

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This page last updated: 07/30/2008