Lesson 1 The Health Risks of Tobacco

Carbon Monoxide

- Poisonous gas found in cigarette smoke - Absorbed more easily than oxygen - Deprives the body's tissues and cells of oxygen - Increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, hardening of the arteries, and other circulatory problems

Leukoplakia

- Smokeless tobacco are absorbed into the body at levels up to tree times the amount of a single cigarette. - Smokeless tobacco irritates the sensitive tissues of the mouth causing leukoplakia that can develop into oral cancer. - Smokeless tobacco causes cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, stomach, and pancreas. - 8-10 plugs of tobacco daily = two packs of cigarettes - Smokeless tobacco is as addictive as smoked tobacco

addictive drug

a substance that causes physiological or psychological dependence

tar

a thick, sticky, dark fluid produced when tobacco burns

nicotine

the addictive drug found in tobacco leaves

leukoplakia

thickened, white leathery-looking spots on the inside of the mouth that can develop into oral cancer

smokeless tobacco

tobacco that is sniffed through the nose, held in the mouth, or chewed

Nicotine

- All tobacco products contain nicotine, the addictive drug found in tobacco leaves. - Nicotine is a stimulant, a drug that increases the action of the central nervous system, the heart, and other organs. - Using nicotine raises blood pressure, and increases the heart rate

Health Risks of Tobacco Use

- All tobacco products display warning labels stating that using tobacco products can be harmful to an individual's health. - Medical studies have shown that tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the United States. - Smoking has been linked to lung disease, cancers, and heart disease. - About 90 % of adult smokers began the habit as teenagers.

Short-Term Effects

- Brain Chemistry changes: body craves more of the drug. Withdrawal symptoms include headaches, nervousness, and trembling as soon as 30 minutes after last use. - Respiration and heart rate increase - Taste buds are dulled and appetite is reduced - Users have bad breath, yellowed teeth, and smelly hair, skin, and clothes.

Long-Term Effects

- Chronic Bronchitis: leads to a buildup of tar in the lungs, causing chronic coughing and excessive mucus secretion - Emphysema: destroys the tiny air sacs in the lungs which makes it more difficult for the lungs to absorb oxygen. A person with advanced emphysema uses up to 80% of their energy just to breath - Lung Cancer: 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking - Coronary heart disease and stroke: Nicotine constricts blood vessels, which cuts down blood flow to the body's limbs. Nicotine also contributes to plaque buildup in the blood vessels, which can lead to hardened arteries -> increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke - Weakened immune system: makes the body more vulnerable to disease

Pipes, Cigars, Smokeless Tobacco

- Cigars contain significantly more nicotine and produce more tar and carbon monoxide than cigarettes. - One cigar can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of 20 cigarettes. - Pipe and cigar smokers also increase the risk of developing cancers of the lips, mouth, throat, larynx, lungs, and esophagus. - Smokeless tobacco (spit) are not a safe alternative to smoking. - The nicotine and carcinogens in these products are absorbed into the blood through the mucous membranes in the mouth or the digestive tract.

Tobacco Costs

- Costs to society: Tobacco-related illnesses cost the US about $165 billion each year. - Costs to individuals: A person smoking one pack of cigarettes a day will spend $1,500 a year. - Legal consequences: selling to minors, smoking is a non smoking environment or on school or government property

Tar

- Tar is a thick, sticky, dark fluid produced when tobacco burns. - Tar damages a smoker's respiratory system by destroying the structures of the airway that protect the body against infection. - Tar also destroys the alveoli, or air sacs, which absorb oxygen and rid the body of carbon dioxide. - Lung tissue is also damaged, reducing lung function - Smokers are susceptible to diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, heart disease, and cancer. - 87 % of cancer deaths result from smoking

Poisonous Substances in Tobacco Smoke

- Tobacco is a carcinogen or cancer-causing substance - Tobacco smoke contains tar and carbon monoxide - It also contains the same poisonous compounds found in products such as paint, rat poison, and toilet cleaner.

Long-Term Health Risks of Tobacco

Nervous System: - Addiction - Stroke Respiratory System: - Coughing, or "smoker's hack" - Chronic bronchitis emphysema, lung cancer Digestive System: - Cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus - Gum recession, tooth decay, tooth loss - Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea - Cancers of the stomach and pancreas Circulatory System: - Increased heart rate and blood pressure - Hardened arteries, decreased blood flow - Heart attack, stroke Excretory System: - Cancer of the bladder - Cancer of the kidneys

carbon monoxide

a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas

stimulant

a drug that increases the action of the central nervous system, the heart, and other organs

carcinogen

cancer-causing substance