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Drugs, alcohol, and smoking

Straight talk about tobacco

You probably already know that smoking is a huge health risk — and that’s reason enough not to light up. But if you want even more inspiration, think about all the things you can do with the money you save if you don’t smoke. Also think about how smoking can wreck your good looks. It can turn your teeth and fingers yellow, and can cause wrinkles. Smoking also can make your clothes, breath, and hair smell bad (and you might not notice because you get used to it). Smoking won’t make you look cool, either. These days, lots of kids are saying that the really cool thing is to be healthy!

• Why you shouldn’t smoke
  
• "Light" cigarettes aren't safe
  
• Smokeless (spit) tobacco isn't safe either
  
• Hookahs can harm you
  
• What are electronic cigarettes?
  
• Being around others who are smoking hurts you, too
  
• Don’t smoke to lose weight
  
• Fast facts about tobacco
  
• Take a tobacco quiz
  

Why you shouldn't smoke top

There are lots of reasons why someone might start smoking — maybe they see their parents smoke or they think it will help them relax or other people pressure them to do it. But there are so many more reasons not to smoke.

• Smoking can cause painful, serious diseases like cancer and emphysema. It can really hurt many parts of your body, including your bones and your heart. Let’s face it: Smoking kills huge numbers of people.
• The tobacco in cigarettes contains thousands of chemicals, including stuff that’s in batteries, rat poison, and car exhaust.
• The nicotine in cigarettes reaches your brain in seconds. It makes you feel good at first, but in less than an hour the good feelings go away and you can start feeling nervous or moody.
• You may think you’ll just try a few cigarettes. Tobacco is addictive, though, which means it can be very hard to stop once you start.
• Smoking affects the vocal chords, which can ruin your voice.
• Damage starts as soon as you smoke your first cigarette, no matter how young you are. Don’t think that smoking just a few cigarettes is OK.
• The earlier a person starts smoking, the more likely they are to become addicted and to die from smoking-related illnesses like cancer.

View a text-only version of the diagram.

Do you play sports? Are you a dancer? Do you sing or play an instrument? If you smoke, you won’t be able to do any of these things very well. For one, smokers have trouble breathing. They also can’t get as much oxygen to their muscles, so their muscles hurt more. And they can’t run as fast or as far.

"Light" cigarettes aren’t safe top

Are “light” cigarettes safer than regular ones? No! Tobacco companies use smoking machines to measure tar and nicotine. But people don’t smoke cigarettes the way machines do. For example, people who smoke “light” cigarettes sometimes inhale more deeply, take longer puffs, or smoke extra cigarettes to handle their nicotine craving. They may inhale just as much tar, nicotine, and other chemicals as people who smoke regular cigarettes.

Smokeless (spit) tobacco isn’t safe either top

Many people think smokeless tobacco (also known as dip, chew, or spit tobacco and snuff) is safe. Smokeless tobacco can cause bleeding gums (gum disease) and sores in the mouth that never heal. Eventually it could cause cancer in your mouth, your throat, and even your stomach! Just like cigarettes, it is addictive because it has nicotine. It stains your teeth a yellowish-brown color. It gives you bad breath. It can make you dizzy, give you the hiccups, and even make you throw up. (Definitely not cool!) Learn more about what dip and chew can do to your mouth, teeth, lips, and gums!

Hookahs can harm you top

Middle Eastern men have smoked hookah pipes (also called waterpipes) for hundreds of years. Now, this form of smoking is becoming popular in the U.S., especially among young people. Hookahs are pipes that hold flavorings that are added right before lighting. Then the smoke is inhaled through a long hose. The pipe filters the tobacco through water, so advertisers claim it’s safer than cigarettes. This is not true. Hookah smoke contains not only nicotine but other poisons like carbon monoxide and tar. And the levels of these poisons in hookah smoke is as high as in cigarette smoke or even higher. Hookah smoking is also linked to nasty respiratory infections.

What are electronic cigarettes? top

You may have heard about electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, that run on batteries. These cigarettes may have less tar, for example, than regular cigarettes, but don’t be fooled. They have chemicals in them that can cause cancer and that are used to make stuff like antifreeze. And nicotine is addictive no matter what form it comes in. Also, these products don’t have to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration, so you don’t really know what you’re getting. This adds to the possible dangers.

Being around others who are smoking hurts you, too top

Even if you don’t smoke, you can develop problems from hanging out around other people who do. This is called secondhand smoke, and it can cause some of the same trouble for you as for the person who smokes. That’s why more and more cities and states are passing laws against smoking at work, in government buildings, and in restaurants and bars. Check out these good reasons to move away when others light up:

• People who are around other people’s smoke have a greater chance of getting lung cancer than people who are not around smokers.
• Secondhand smoke can cause your eyes to water and burn and can make you cough. It can hurt your heart and increase your chances of getting a cold. If you have asthma, it can trigger an asthma attack.
• Others who smell smoke on your clothes might think you’re the one who has been smoking!

Don't smoke to lose weight top

All the problems caused by smoking — getting sick, smelling bad, staining your teeth, wasting money — mean it’s not worth it to smoke for weight reasons. In fact, it’s definitely possible to quit smoking without gaining weight. And smoking isn’t a sure way to lose weight — plenty of smokers are not thin. There are lots better ways to deal with weight:

• Munch on healthy foods like carrots instead of putting junk food or a cigarette in your mouth.
• Try exercising to deal with stress, burn calories, and make your body feel good. (If you’re quitting smoking, exercise also may lessen withdrawal symptoms.) 
• Focus on accepting your body. Maybe even write down what you like about it. Read more about body image.

Fast facts about tobacco top

In some states it’s against the law for someone under 18 to buy or have tobacco products. If you are caught, you can get a ticket, you may have to pay a fine (over $200 in some states!), or you may be ordered to take a class to help you stop smoking.

Smoking does not relieve stress, sadness, or depression. It may make you feel good at the moment, but then it can increase upsetting feelings.

All types of tobacco and smoking are dangerous, including smoking marijuana. Snuff tobacco, chew, cigars, cigarillos, and flavored cigarettes all cause serious problems.

Smoking isn’t pretty. Just because movie stars smoke on screen, doesn't mean it's glamorous. In fact, it can make you look awful.

Social smoking is bad for you, too. Smoking only at parties is still dangerous. And people who only light up sometimes may be less likely to ever try to quit!

Take a tobacco quiz top

See how much you know about tobacco with these two quizzes.

What’s in a cigarette?
How much do you know about tobacco?

Content last updated May 18, 2010

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