Introduction
Smoking tobacco is very likely to harm your health. Tobacco contains a poisonous (toxic), colorless chemical called nicotine. Nicotine affects the brain and makes tobacco addictive. This change in the brain can make it hard to stop smoking. Tobacco also has other toxic chemicals that can hurt your body and raise your risk of many cancers.
Almost everyone who uses tobacco starts in their teens. Teens who try tobacco even once are at risk for addiction. Most teens who use tobacco smoke cigarettes. Menthol or lite cigarette brands are not safer than regular brands.
How can smoking tobacco affect me?
Tobacco use raises your risk for:
Cancer. Smoking is most commonly associated with lung cancer, but can lead to cancer in other parts …show more content…
Wanting to smoke again and again due to the effects of nicotine (nicotine addiction).
Unpleasant symptoms (withdrawal) if you stop smoking, such as irritability, cravings, sleep problems, and confusion.
Mouth problems, including cavities, gum disease, and painful mouth sores.
Vision problems.
Other health problems, including vision problems, loss of smell or taste, yellow or stained skin and teeth, and accidental death from fires.
What are the benefits of quitting smoking?
Not smoking can help you lead a longer and healthier life, and you may:
Lower your risk of getting cancer and other diseases caused by smoking.
Be able to breathe better and have more energy for sports and exercise.
Save money.
No longer smell like cigarette smoke.
Improve your sense of taste and smell.
Not smoking also protects others from secondhand smoke that can cause lung cancer, breathing problems, and heart disease.
What actions can be taken?
Lifestyle changes
Do not start smoking. Quit if you already do.
Stay busy and take care of your body. Get plenty of exercise, eat a healthy diet, and drink lots of …show more content…
Look for programs to help you and ask a trusted adult or your health care provider for recommendations and ideas.
Set a date and write down all the reasons you want to quit.
Let your friends and family know you are quitting so they can help and support you. Consider finding friends who also want to quit. It can be easier to quit with someone else, so that you can support each other.
Talk with your health care provider about using nicotine replacement medicines to help you quit, such as gum, lozenges, patches, sprays, or pills.
Do not replace cigarette smoking with electronic cigarettes, which are commonly called e-cigarettes. The safety of e-cigarettes is not known, and some may contain harmful chemicals.
Avoid places, people, or situations that tempt you to smoke. Get rid of lighters, ashtrays, or anything else that reminds you of tobacco use.
If you try to quit but return to smoking, stay positive. It is common to slip up when you first quit, so take it one day at a time.
Be prepared for cravings. When you feel the urge to smoke, chew gum or suck on hard candy.
Where to find more information:
You can find more information about tobacco use from:
Smokefreeteen:
Smoking tobacco is very likely to harm your health. Tobacco contains a poisonous (toxic), colorless chemical called nicotine. Nicotine affects the brain and makes tobacco addictive. This change in the brain can make it hard to stop smoking. Tobacco also has other toxic chemicals that can hurt your body and raise your risk of many cancers.
Almost everyone who uses tobacco starts in their teens. Teens who try tobacco even once are at risk for addiction. Most teens who use tobacco smoke cigarettes. Menthol or lite cigarette brands are not safer than regular brands.
How can smoking tobacco affect me?
Tobacco use raises your risk for:
Cancer. Smoking is most commonly associated with lung cancer, but can lead to cancer in other parts …show more content…
Wanting to smoke again and again due to the effects of nicotine (nicotine addiction).
Unpleasant symptoms (withdrawal) if you stop smoking, such as irritability, cravings, sleep problems, and confusion.
Mouth problems, including cavities, gum disease, and painful mouth sores.
Vision problems.
Other health problems, including vision problems, loss of smell or taste, yellow or stained skin and teeth, and accidental death from fires.
What are the benefits of quitting smoking?
Not smoking can help you lead a longer and healthier life, and you may:
Lower your risk of getting cancer and other diseases caused by smoking.
Be able to breathe better and have more energy for sports and exercise.
Save money.
No longer smell like cigarette smoke.
Improve your sense of taste and smell.
Not smoking also protects others from secondhand smoke that can cause lung cancer, breathing problems, and heart disease.
What actions can be taken?
Lifestyle changes
Do not start smoking. Quit if you already do.
Stay busy and take care of your body. Get plenty of exercise, eat a healthy diet, and drink lots of …show more content…
Look for programs to help you and ask a trusted adult or your health care provider for recommendations and ideas.
Set a date and write down all the reasons you want to quit.
Let your friends and family know you are quitting so they can help and support you. Consider finding friends who also want to quit. It can be easier to quit with someone else, so that you can support each other.
Talk with your health care provider about using nicotine replacement medicines to help you quit, such as gum, lozenges, patches, sprays, or pills.
Do not replace cigarette smoking with electronic cigarettes, which are commonly called e-cigarettes. The safety of e-cigarettes is not known, and some may contain harmful chemicals.
Avoid places, people, or situations that tempt you to smoke. Get rid of lighters, ashtrays, or anything else that reminds you of tobacco use.
If you try to quit but return to smoking, stay positive. It is common to slip up when you first quit, so take it one day at a time.
Be prepared for cravings. When you feel the urge to smoke, chew gum or suck on hard candy.
Where to find more information:
You can find more information about tobacco use from:
Smokefreeteen: