Tobacco Tobacco products contain nicotine, which activates the brain’s reward system and reinforces the use of tobacco products through increased ‘feel good’ brain chemicals. It is important to remember that no form or amount of tobacco is considered safe. TIPS FROM FORMER SMOKERS Buerger’s Disease Tracheostomy Terrie H. TOBACCO PRODUCTS INCLUDE: SMOKING AND CHRONIC ILLNESS Over 16 million Americans are living with a condition caused by smoking. Exposure to smoke, or secondhand smoke, can also cause health conditions. Cancer Cardiovascular disease Stroke Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Type 2 diabetes Eye diseases and conditions Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) Cataracts Tuberculosis Immunodeficiency conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) On top of causing various health conditions, smoking can worsen other conditions, such as COVID-19, asthma, pregnancy and increased blood pressure SMOKING AND CANCER Smoking tobacco harms nearly every organ in the body and negatively impacts your immune system. It can also cause cancer in almost any part of your body. In the U.S., one in every three cancer deaths is linked to smoking. 1 Mouth and Throat Voice Box Esophagus 2 Lung, bronchus and trachea 3 Acute myeloid leukemia 4 Liver Pancreas 5 Stomach 6 Kidney and renal pelvis 7 Colon and rectum Urinary bladder Uterine cervix E-CIGARETTES Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or e-vaporizers (i.e. vape pens), are battery-operated or chargeable devices that deliver nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco, with multiple flavor options and other chemicals to the lungs in the form of vapor instead of smoke. E-cigarettes are often advertised as being safer than cigarettes, but less is known about their long-term effects. It is important to remember that products that containing nicotine are highly addictive, and e-cigarettes still contain many carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, chemicals. Most e-cigarettes operate using four components: a cartridge, reservoir or pod that holds a liquid solution of the nicotine, flavoring and chemicals, heating element, power source and mouthpiece for inhalation. There are currently over 460 different e-cigarette brands on the market. E-cigarettes can look like cigarettes or everyday items (e.g. USB memory sticks and pens). What’s The Deal With Vaping? We know quitting tobacco is hard. But the more you prepare yourself, the more likely you are to quit for good. Learn how to make and stick to a quit plan and how medications and other options can help you on your journey. Let’s get started! TOBACCO AND PREGNANCY Risks for the mother include: Ectopic pregnancy (i.e. pregnancy outside of the uterus) Problems with the placenta Problems with your thyroid Water breaking too early Risks for the fetus: Delayed growth Higher risk of premature birth Permanent brain and lung damage Higher risk of stillbirth Risks for the newborn: Smaller size at birth or underweight Colic with uncontrollable crying, irritable Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Higher risk of developing obesity and asthma during childhood COMMON MYTHS Myth 1 / Smoking is a choice Myth 2 Filters make cigarettes safer Myth 3 Smoking socially or occasionally is not harmful Myth 4 Its too late to quit Myth 5 Secondhand smoke is not dangerous Myth 6 Small amounts of tobacco smoke exposure is not dangerous to children Smoking is a choice For your first time, yes, it is most likely a choice, but after a few cigarettes, no, it is not a choice Nicotine is an addictive substance and addition can happen quickly Most people who use tobacco products are addicted Quitting tobacco products is difficult and it can take several attempts before you find success Filters make cigarettes safer Filters are designed to make smoke particles smaller and easier to absorb, which increases addiction Cigarettes are designed in a way to get nicotine to your brain quickly Light and low-tar cigarette marketing is no longer allowed because these products still contain nicotine and are addictive No cigarette is deemed ‘safe’ because tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals and over 25 Smoking socially or occasionally is not harmful Smoking any amount of cigarettes has negative health effects Even breathing tobacco smoke secondhand can cause immediate harm Tobacco smoke can trigger heart attacks and even death in non-smokers, and the risk is higher for those that smoke Your lungs, blood vessels, and cells are all immediately affected by smoking cigarettes Smoking a few cigarettes a week can cause a heart attack Only smoking socially or infrequently is not enough to protect you against the long list of negative health effects of cigarette use It is too late to quit The longer you use tobacco products, the longer you damage your body, but stopping at any point has benefits Within 20 minutes after quitting smoking, the body begins to heal After 2 to 5 years of quitting smoking, the risk of stroke is similar to that of a non-smoker After 10 years of quitting smoking, the risk of lung cancer is cut in half Secondhand smoke is not dangerous. Over 40,000 people exposed to secondhand smoke die as a result of exposure Breathing in the chemicals of tobacco smoke changes the body’s blood chemistry immediately Blood clots can form and block arteries to your heart or brain when exposed to secondhand smoke Rolling down the window in a car does not protect passengers from the dangers of tobacco smoke There is no amount of secondhand smoke that is considered a healthy amount to be exposed to Small amounts of tobacco smoke exposure is not dangerous to children Children exposed to tobacco smoke are at risk for developing bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections Smoking by an open window does not reduce the amount of smoke that stays with in the building or home, which can impact a child’s health Children with asthma can have serious and fatal reactions to secondhand smoke The best way to protect children from secondhand smoke exposure is to quit smoking and making sure your home and car are 100% smoke-free MAINTAINING MISSION READINESS QUITTING RESOURCES How to Quit – Resources to help you quit smoking. Smokefree.gov – Resources, tools, tips, articles and resources to help you quit tobacco use YouCanQuit2 (DoD) – YouCanQuit2 Resources to help you quit smoking, vaping and dipping. Call a Quitline Speak with a counselor/coach. Text Messaging Programs – Check out these free mobile text programs Live Chat – You may chat with a specialist at the National Cancer institute Practice Quitting Programs – Options for tobacco users who want to quit, but aren’t ready to set a quit date yet. Want to quit Vaping? Tips from Former Smokers – Get the history of real smokers and how smoking has affected their lives and quality of life. Talk to your Medical/Dental Provider about quitting options QuitGuide QuitGuide is a free smartphone app that can help you quit smoking. You can track your cigarette cravings and moods, monitor your progress toward achieving smokefree milestones, discover your reasons for quitting smoking, identify smoking triggers and develop strategies to deal with them, get expert guidance on how to quit smoking and address nicotine withdrawal, and access a variety of other strategies to help you successfully become and stay smokefree. YouCanQuit2 is a Defense Department (DOD) educational campaign, aligned to the Defense Health Agency, for the U.S. military. Originally launched in February of 2007, the mission of the campaign is to help Service members quit tobacco—for themselves and their loved ones Visit YouCanQuit2 for more information – https://www.ycq2.org Sources E-Cigarettes https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/vaping-devices-electronic-cigarettes Common Myths https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/myths/pdfs/myths.pdf Maintaining Mission Readiness https://www.med.navy.mil/Navy-Marine-Corps-Public-Health-Center/Population-Health/Health-Promotion-and-Wellness/Tobacco-Free-Living/For-You-Self-Help/
