Second Hand Smoking Facts

3,000 nonsmoking adults die of diseases caused by exposure to second hand smoke every year.

Secondhand smoke causes coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort and reduced lung function in nonsmokers.

US infants and children under 18 months of age suffer some 150,000 to 300,000 respiratory tract infections (lung diseases such as pneumonia and bronchitis) every year, leading to 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations.

Children exposed to secondhand smoke at home are more likely to have middle-ear disease and reduced lung function.

Some 2 to 5 million US children suffer from asthma; of these, about 20 percent experience more asthma attacks and more severe attacks than their fellow young asthmatics, due to secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including carbon monoxide ( which poisons the human body), ammonia, formaldehyde, and other poisons. 4 of the chemicals – benzene, 2-naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl, and polonium-210 are classified by the EPA as known carcinogens—cancer causing agents.

The EPA has classified secondhand smoke as a carcinogen since 1992.

More than 10 million young people aged 12-18 live in a household with at least one smoker.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke were 25 percent more likely to have coronary heart diseases compared to nonsmokers not exposed to smoke.

According to the EPA, approximately 50-75 percent of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood.

Pregnancy Smoking Facts

Smoking More than half a pack a day may cause infertility or irregular menstrual cycles in women.

Menopause often occurs earlier in women who smoke than in women who do not.

Pregnant women pass any chemicals they take in (from food, tobacco, alcohol and so on) to their unborn children through the placenta.

Women who smoke during pregnancy can slow down the baby's growth by reducing the amount of oxygen and increasing the amount of carbon monoxide that the baby receives during a critical time when its brain and nervous system are developing.

Babies born of mothers who smoke frequently during pregnancy are on the average 7 ounces lighter than other babies.

Smoking while pregnant increases the chances of spontaneous abortions (miscarriages) stillbirths and premature labor.

Women who smoke have higher risks of giving birth to babies with birth defects or abnormalities.

In 2002, 11.4 percent of mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Mothers who smoke can pass nicotine to their children through breast milk.

Infants born to mothers who smoke are more likely to develop colds, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases such as asthma. The odds of developing asthma are twice as high among children whose mothers smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day.

Teen Smoking Facts

Each day 3,000 children smoke their first cigarette.

At least 3 million adolescents are smokers.

Tobacco use primarily begins in early adolescence, typically by age 16.

Almost all first use occurs before high school graduation.

20 percent of American teens smoke.

Roughly 6 million teens in the US today smoke despite the knowledge that it is addictive and leads to disease.

Of every 100,000 15 year old smokers, tobacco will prematurely kill at least 20,000 before the age of 70.

Of the 3,000 teens who started smoking today, nearly 1,000 will eventually die as a result from smoking.

Adolescent girls who smoke and take oral birth control pills greatly increase their chances of having blood clots and strokes.

According to the Surgeon's General, Teenagers who smoke were:

• Three times more likely to use alcohol.
• Eight times are likely to smoke marijuana.
• And 22 times more likely to use Cocaine.

Although only 5 percent of high school smokers said that they would definitely be smoking five years later, close to 75 percent were still smoking 7 to 9 years later.

A person who starts smoking at age 13 will have a more difficult time quitting, has more health-related problems and probably will die earlier than a person who begins to smoke at age 21.

Kids who smoke experience changes in the lungs and reduced lung growth, and they risk not achieving normal lung function as an adult.

Kids who smoke have significant health problems, including cough and phlegm production, decreased physical fitness and unfavorable lipid profile.

If your child's best friends smoke, then your youngster is 13 times more likely to smoke than if his or her friends did not smoke.

More than 90 percent of adult smokers started when they were teens.

Adolescents who have two parents who smoke are more than twice as likely as youth without smoking parents to become smokers.

A 2001 Survey found that 69.4 percent of teenage smokers reported never being asked for proof of age when buying cigarettes in a store. The same survey found that 62.4 percent were allowed to buy cigarettes even when the retailer was aware they were under eighteen.

Is It Hard to Quit Smoking?

It's a challenge to quit smoking. How much difficulty you will have depends on several factors, including:

• The number of cigarettes you smoke daily
• The number of people you spend time with who smoke (parents, friends, and co-workers)
• The reasons you smoke (weight control, social situations, peer pressure)

Why Is Smoking So Addictive?

Blame nicotine, the main drug in tobacco, for your smoking addiction. Your brain quickly adapts to nicotine and develops a tolerance for it, meaning you need to smoke more to get the same rush you used to get with just one cigarette. Did you know that nicotine acts on some of the same brain pathways as cocaine?

Tolerance happens when your brain tries to keep itself balanced. Chemicals from the cigarette make the brain release chemicals called norepinephrine and dopamine. If the brain releases too much of these two chemicals, the brain chemistry gets unbalanced and releases its own "anti-nicotine" chemicals when you smoke. These "anti-nicotine" chemicals would make you feel down, depressed, and tired if you were not smoking.

Over time, the brain learns to predict when you are going to smoke a cigarette -- and releases the "anti-nicotine" chemicals. These chemicals make you feel depressed and tired, so you think, "I need a cigarette!"

A "trigger" is anything your brain has connected with smoking. Everyone's triggers are different. Yours might include the smell of cigarette smoke, having an ashtray next to you, seeing a carton of cigarettes at the store, having certain food or drinks, ending a good meal, or talking with someone with whom you normally smoke cigarettes. Sometimes just the way you feel (sad or happy) is a trigger. One of the biggest keys to quitting smoking is understanding the triggers that make you crave smoking.

But I Really Want to Quit Smoking!

There are different ways to quit smoking. Some work better than others. The best strategy is to choose a method that will challenge you to quit, but also one that you can achieve.

Here are some suggestions for ways to stop smoking:

1. Cold turkey (no outside help). About 90% of people who try to quit smoking do it without outside support -- no aids, therapy, or medicine. Although many people try to quit this way, it is not the most effective and successful method. Only about 10% of people who try to quit this way succeed on their first try.

2. Behavioral therapy. With behavioral therapy, you visit a therapist who will help you find the most effective way to quit. The therapist will help you to identify your triggers, come up with ways to get through cravings, and provide emotional support when you need it most.

3. Nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine gum, patches, inhalers, sprays, and lozenges are nicotine replacement therapies (called NRT). Replacement therapy works by giving you nicotine without using tobacco. You may be more likely quit smoking if you use nicotine replacement therapy. But if you're under 18, you need to get your doctor's permission to use nicotine replacement therapy. This therapy works best when combined with behavioral therapy and lots of support from friends and family.

4. Medicine. Some drugs, including Zyban and Chantix, are formulated to help people quit smoking. Your doctor must prescribe these medications.

5. Combination treatments. Using a combination of treatment methods can increase your chances of quitting. For example, using both a nicotine patch and gum may be better than a patch alone. Other proven combination treatments include behavioral therapy and nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medication with a nicotine patch, and nicotine patch and nicotine spray.

Your New Rules for Quitting Smoking

There are some important things to remember when quitting smoking:

1. Know your triggers and avoid them early on. Try to stay away from situations that normally make you feel like smoking, especially during the first three months. This is when you are most likely to start smoking again.

2. Know that the first few days are the toughest. If you are quitting "cold turkey," the first few days are the hardest. You will probably feel irritable, depressed, slow, and tired. Once you get past those first days, you will begin to feel normal (but still have cigarette cravings).

3. Don't give in to your craving to smoke. Every time you don't smoke when you have a craving, your chances of quitting successfully go up. 

4. Start a new activity with friends who don't smoke. This can increase your chances of quitting smoking.

Perhaps smoking is a real part of your identity and your life. Giving up a part of your identity is difficult. You may feel sad that you do not smoke anymore. This is a normal feeling. But remember that feeling sad may be one of your triggers.

What If I Start Smoking Again?

It's called "relapse." Relapse is normal in strong addictions like smoking. Many people quit and relapse several times before quitting permanently. If you relapse, at least minimize the amount you smoke during the relapse. For example, if you smoked eight cigarettes a day before quitting and only smoke four cigarettes a day when you relapse, you have made some progress. Don't lose hope -- quitting is a process that might take some time.