How does Nicotine Effect the Body?
Nicotine is a highly additive substance that is added to tobacco. When you choose to light up a cigarette or use smokeless tobacco, one to two milligrams of nicotine is released into the body. Through cigarettes, nicotine is absorbed directly through the lungs, and with smokeless tobacco, it is absorbed through the nose. From there, nicotine will spread throughout the body, causing many harmful effects. Nicotine can cause permanent damage through the effects it has on the body.
Tobacco Use in Teens
Using tobacco is a significant problem for teens. About 1,000 teens begin using tobacco each day. That is the size of an average high school in the United States. That totals about one in four high school students. Of that number, 80 percent of those students will continue to smoke into adulthood because of the addicting effects of nicotine. Of that percentage, one in two will die 13 years sooner than other people their age.
Many tobacco users began using tobacco in years past because they were inexpensive and created a “tough” or “cool” perception among peer groups. Using tobacco could make a young person more prone to fighting and aggressive behavior. The habit is quickly accepted by other teens who use tobacco. Others smoke because they have little resistance to the peer pressure placed on them or a lack of guidance or parental involvement to discourage tobacco use. Many young people think smoking is the norm. Tobacco use in teens can also lead to underage sex, alcohol and the use of drugs. The strategies used to prevent drug abuse in youth populations can also be effectively employed with smoking.
Age of Smokers
People who are ages 18-24 account for 21.4 percent of all smokers, ages 25-44 account for 23.7 percent of all smokers, 22.6 are ages 45-64, and only 9.3 percent of smokers are over the age of 65. These statistics total more than 45 million smokers. One in every five people smoke.
Chemicals in Cigarettes
There are more than 4,800 chemicals in tobacco smoke, including butane, methane, arsenic, carbon monoxide, ammonia and paint. It is proven that tobacco kills more than 20 times more people than murder, resulting in a death every 6.5 seconds. More than 88 million non-smokers are exposed to the same harmful effects from smoke, with 54 percent of them being children.
Illnesses Caused by Cigarettes
The illnesses that will result in death from tobacco use include many types of cancer. One common type is lung cancer, accounting for 80 percent of all deaths in smokers. Other lung diseases, as well as stroke, heat attack and cancer in other body organs are common illnesses with smokers. More than eight million smokers will contract a deadly disease from smoking each year.
Costs of Smoking
The expense of smoking not only will effect your body and your life, it will immediately effect your finances. Smoking is expensive, not only across the counter, but also in the price of life insurance, car insurance, healthcare costs and health insurance rates. The quality of life will decrease and become diminished with time when a person chooses to use tobacco of any kind.
How to Quit Smoking
Quitting the habit is difficult. It requires dedication, willpower, and strength to stop smoking and stay smoke free. Despite it’s legal status, smoking is an incredibly addictive behavior and also highly destructive. You can find tips to quit smoking here.
