Tobacco
Quick Facts:
- Every year, there are 443,000 deaths related to smoking. Tobacco is the only product that when used properly, as intended, leads to serious illness and premature death.
- Cigarettes contains over 4000 chemicals including: tar, arsenic – used in rat poison, carbon monoxide – the silent killer, Ammonia, DDT – a banned insecticide, hydrogen cyanide – a chemical that was used in gas chambers, cadmium – used in batteries, benzene – rubber cement, and many other environmentally lethal chemicals. On top of all of theses poisonous chemicals, cigarettes contain formaldehyde to preserve the corpses that create.
Tobacco consumption leads to thousands of cases of respiratory diseases each year including emphysema, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. - Smoking while pregnant increase the risk of infertility. The baby is at a greater risk to be born at a low birth weight, and is twice as likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
- Secondhand smoke causes 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in young children each year. It is responsible for 37,000 heart disease deaths, and 3,000 case of lung cancer. Tobacco consumption is responsible for 30 % of all cancers.
- Smokeless Tobacco is not a better alternative to cigarettes. Dip and Chew are responsible for tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath and oral cancers of the lips, tongue, gums, the floor and roof of the mouth. Since Spit tobacco has a more direct contact to blood vessels and salivary glands, the effects are more direct. Nicotine from smokeless tobacco stays in the blood stream longer than cigarettes
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
5 Tips for quitting:
- Write down the reasons you want to quit can help remind you why you are quitting when the times get tough.
- Drinking water and exercising can help with cravings
- Toothpicks, candy and sugarless gum can be used to fill the desire of having a cigarette in your mouth.
- Avoiding caffeine can prevent insomnia.
- Plan how you will celebrate a day, week, month and year with out smoking.
Community Resources:
Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC) provides tobacco cessation support resources and assistance to worksites, schools, and community organizations in developing and implementing smoke-free/tobacco free policies. Quit kits packets are available with simple items to help you get thorough your day. For help from CHCC please contact 207-602-3555.
Southern Maine Medical Centers has certified tobacco treatment specialists. SMMC also provides free smoking cessation classes. SMMC can be contacted at 207- 283-7272.
The Maine Tobacco Helpline Provides free, confidential support and quitting techniques 1-800-207-1230.
The University of New England provides tobacco cessation support to employees, students and families. The students, faculty and staff have access to free nicotine replacement therapy. Faculty, staff and students looking for tobacco cessation support can contact Petts Health Center at 207-602- 2358.
Places to Find Support and Information Online
