Tobacco is a plant that has a long history of cultivation in North America. It was a very important crop for the Native Americans, and eventually became a cornerstone of economic development in the United States.
The drug in tobacco that makes it addictive is nicotine. It is a mild stimulant and has several effects on the body. People use tobacco in several ways – most often people smoke cigarettes, but they can use it in other ways as well, like chewing it or inhaling vapor from e-cigarettes. Read more here https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cigarettes-other-tobacco-products.
Cigarette smoking is one of the most harmful health behavior because it is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States – https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm. Some of these risks are from nicotine, and some are from other substances that are contained in the smoke from tobacco products. Additionally, the smoke from cigarettes and other smoked products can affect the health of others. This is called secondhand or passive smoking and is linked to illness and death – https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet#what-are-the-risks-of-tobacco-smoke-to-nonsmokers.
People use tobacco in a variety of products – smoked and smokeless. Learn more about different tobacco products here – https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/recognize-tobacco-its-many-forms.
There has been a rise in the use of e-vaporizers or e-cigarettes in recent years. These products are not regulated in the same way as other tobacco products. They still deliver nicotine to the user (and are thus addictive), as well as a host of other chemicals which may be carcinogens. Recently, several cases of severe respiratory illness and one death was linked to the use of e-cigarettes – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/illinois-patients-death-may-be-first-in-u-s-linked-to-vaping.
While rates of tobacco smoking have been steadily declining in recent years (the latest numbers show that 14% of people in the US smoke), there is no safe level of smoking or using tobacco.
Many people want to quit smoking or using tobacco, but they may not know how to start. There are many free and local resources available for quitting. Benefits of quitting are many and include a lower risk of illness and death, as well as less coughing, better breath and a brighter smile.
