Teens

Are You

in the Majority?

 

With smoking rates going down among adults and teens, non-smokers, in the United States, are becoming the vast majority of the population.  Thanks to tobacco prevention programs across the country, teens are becoming aware of the dangers of using tobacco and secondhand smoke.  Teens are also becoming more outspoken with their peers and standing out as role models for younger students.  They have become the voice of a generation striving to become smoke-free and healthy.  They are the majority.  Are you in the majority?

Did you know...

  •  Nicotine, the active drug in tobacco, is both addictive and incredibly hard to quit.  Currently, it takes a tobacco user anywhere from 7 to 11 times to successfully quit, so it benefits teens and young adults to never start in the first place.
  • Tobacco use can lead to multiple health issues, to include, oral and throat cancer, heart disease, loss of limbs and lung cancer.
  • Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States- responsible for 1 out of every 5 deaths.

 

There Are No Safe Tobacco Products

 

Despite what your friends have said or what you may have heard, there are NO safe tobacco products.  Period.  Each tobacco product contains the same amount of harsh and deadly chemicals as the next.  Each tobacco product contains the active and addictive drug nicotine.  And each tobacco product can lead to health-related problems after use. 

It is important for you to understand and identify what tobacco products are on the market and the harmful effects from casual or habitual use.

Cigarettes- Sold in packs and cartons, this tobacco product can cause oral, throat and lung cancer.  It can also lead to heart disease, COPD and loss of limbs.  It is important to know that the filter does not protect you from being affected by the use of this product.

 

Spit Tobacco- Also known as a "dip", "chew" or "leaf", this tobacco product can lead to oral, throat and stomach cancer.  It can also lead to tooth loss and jaw removal.

 

 

Hookah- Hookah is the actual pipe while shisha is the tobacco.  Shisha, or "pucks", is NOT a safe alternative to cigarettes.  Despite being flavored and smoked through a water pipe, it still contains the same amount of harmful chemicals as its tobacco cousins.  And, for the record, the water does NOT filter out any of these chemicals.  In fact, the hookah user is inhaling both the smoke from the tobacco and the charcoal used to burn the tobacco making it potentially more harmful.  Hookah can cause oral, throat and lung cancer, as well as heart disease and loss of limbs.

 

Cigars- Sold singularly or in bulk, cigars are tobacco products that are smoked but not always inhaled.  Despite this, they are still just as dangerous.  They can cause mouth and throat cancer, as well as, heart and vascular disease.

 

 

 

Pipe- Sold in loose bulk, pipe tobacco is often flavored and smoked through a pipe without any filters.  This tobacco product can cause oral, throat, and lung cancer, heart disease, and loss of limbs.

 

There are NO safe tobacco products.  The best thing you can do for your health is to never use tobacco products.