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Smoking

Latinas have lower smoking rates than most other groups of women. In fact, as a group, Latinas have exceeded the Healthy People 2010 goal to lower the number of smokers. That's great! Still, some Latinas smoke, which is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer. Lung cancer is the number two cause of cancer deaths among Latinas.

There is never a good reason to smoke. Smoking causes serious health problems, including:

Women who smoke have a higher risk of cervical cancer. Women who take birth control pills and also smoke have a higher risk of stroke.

Smoking can make illnesses last longer and make it harder to get pregnant.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause the baby to be born too early and other problems. Smoking is also a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

On top of all the health problems caused by smoking, it also stains your teeth, fingers, and fingernails, gives you bad breath, and causes wrinkles.

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More information on smoking in English

Explore other publications and websites

  • Cigarette Smoking and Cardiovascular Diseases (Copyright © American Heart Association) — This pamphlet informs the reader about how smoking can increase your risk of coronary heart disease. It also mentions how smoking can increase the risk of stroke and peripheral arterial disease.
    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4545
  • Guide to Quitting Smoking (Copyright © American Cancer Society) — This publication provides detailed information on why you should quit smoking, how you can quit, how you can deal with withdrawal symptoms, and more.
    http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp
  • What You Need To Know About Lung Cancer — The diagnosis of lung cancer brings with it many questions and a need for clear answers. This booklet provides an overview of lung cancer, including its causes and risk factors. It describes the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease, and includes lists of questions to ask your doctor from diagnosis through treatment.
    http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/lung

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Más recursos en español (Additional resources in Spanish)

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  • Fumar y cómo dejarlo — womenshealth.gov ha creado esta página para dar poder a las señoras y señoritas, y a la gente quienes aman, a respirar limpiamente! Gana la independencia del mundo rancio del tabaquismo al usar nuestra información y recursos. Aprende de los efectos específicos del tabaquismo a su salud y aprende como puede conquistar las barreras de dejar de fumar.
    http://www.womenshealth.gov/espanol/fumar-como-dejarlo/

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Content last updated May 18, 2010.

Resources last updated May 18, 2010.

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