Toward a Tobacco-Free
Society
Chapter 11
Use of Tobacco
Why People use Tobacco
Nicotine
Powerful psychoactive drug
Reaches Brain via bloodstream in seconds
Most physically addictive of the
psychoactive drugs.
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Loss of Control
Three out of four smokers want to quit
– 60%-80% kick the habit at a stop-smoking
clinic.
– However, 75% start smoking within a year.
– Relapse rate similar to alcoholics and
heroin addicts.
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Tolerance and Withdrawal
 Using tobacco develops tolerance
– addiction may occur within a couple of
days.
Abstinence from nicotine:
– predictable withdrawal symptoms
– Occurs within hours of last dose of nicotine
– Most symptoms pass in 2-3 days.
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Social and Psychological
Factors
Established habits or cues to trigger
smoking
Secondary reinforcers.
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Why Start in the First Place?
Decreases in usage in the 1980’s but a
steady increase in the 1990’s.
Largest increase was 13- and 14-years
old.
College aged increased from 22% in
1993 to 29% in 1999.
Children and teenagers make-up 90%
of all new smokers in this country.
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Listening to Advertising
Tobacco spends nearly $6 billion per
year.
86% of teens prefer the top three most
advertised brands.
Joe Camel is more familiar than Mickey
Mouse.
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Who Uses Tobacco?
Characteristics which could increase the
potential for use.
– A parent or sibling uses tobacco
– Peers use tobacco
– Child comes from blue-collar family
– Child comes from low-income home
– Single parent.
– Performs poorly in school
– Child drops out of school
– Has positive attitudes towards tobacco
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Immediate Effects
Acts on the brain like cocaine and
heroin
Mild nicotine poisoning
Stimulates the cerebral cortex
Releases epinephrine, norepinephrine and
dopamine
Physiological effects on the body
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Health Hazards
Unfiltered cigarettes = 5 billion
particles per cubic MM
50,000 times more than polluted urban
air
Carcinogen
Damages the lining of the respiratory tract
Poisonous substances = arsenic and
nicotine
Carbon monoxide - 400 times stronger
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The Long-Term Effects
Cardiovascular Disease
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
atherosclerosis
angina pectoris
myocardial infarction
Lung Cancer and other cancers
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
emphysema
Other Respiratory Damage
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Additional Health, Cosmetic,
and Economic Concerns
Ulcers
Impotence
Reproductive health problems
Dental diseases
Diminished physical senses
Injuries
Cosmetic concerns
Economic costs
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Cumulative Effects
Males:before 15 yrs. old are half as
likely to live to 75 versus those who did
not smoke
Female smokers spend 17% more sick
days in bed than nonsmokers
Smokers spend one-third more time
away from work due to illness
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Other Forms of Tobacco
Spit (Smokeless) Tobacco
Cigar and Pipes
Clover cigarettes and Bidis
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The Effects of Smoking on the
Nonsmoker
Environmental Tobacco smoke (ETS)
EPA - 1993 - a classed as a Carcinogen
2000 - “known human carcinogen”
Mainstream smoke and Sidestream smoke
Twice the tar and nicotine
Three times the benzo(a)pyrene
Three times the ammonia
85% of smoke in a room is second hand
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ETS Effects
Develop cough, headaches, nasal
discomfort, and eye irritation
Allergies will be exacerbated
Causes 3,000 deaths due to lung
cancer
Contributes to about 60,000 deaths
from heart disease
Contributes to increased Asthma
attacks
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Infants, Children, and ETS
More likely to develop
Bronchitis, pneumonia,& respiratory
infections
More complications from asthma
Increased can of SIDS
Children inhale three times more
pollutants per unit of body weight than
adults.
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Smoking and Pregnancy
Estimated 4600 infant deaths in the
U.S.
Miscarriage, premature birth, low birth
weight, long term impairments in
growth and intellectual development
Possible higher risks of getting cancer
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Cost of Tobacco Use to Society
Health care costs exceed $70 billion per
year.
Lost productivity from sickness,
disability, and premature death makes it
closer to $125 Billion per year.
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What Can Be Done?
Local laws
State and Federal laws
FDA
Marketing efforts and restrictions
International Action
Private sector
Individual Action
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Quitting
Since 1964 - 50% of all adults who
have smoked have quit.
Benefits
Options for Quitting
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