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Tobacco What you should know about ? Facts About Tobacco Tobacco is one of the most widely abused substances in the world. It is made from the leaf of the tobacco plant which is cultivated in many parts of the world. Tobacco is dried and processed to make a variety of products of which the most common and widely used is the cigarette. Some other tobacco products are chewing tobacco (khaini) and inhaled forms such as bidis, cigars, pipe tobacco, and hubblebubble(hookah) tobacco. What are the effects of using tobacco? Tobacco contains the drug nicotine and cigarette smoke also contains more than 4,000 different chemicals including poisons such as cyanide and formaldehyde and poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide. Nicotine can adversely affect the central nervous system. Tobacco also contains cancer-inducing substances(carcinogens), and its use has been closely linked to lung and many other cancers. There is no safe limit of smoking or chewing tobacco. Short-term effects: Most smokers will feel the urge to cough and choke when they first inhale. Some will feel light-headed, dizzy and nauseous. Other effects include headache, stomach ache, high blood pressure and increased palpitation of the heart. Most smokers feel a shortness of breath, which makes it difficult to undertake physical activities, such as sports. Smokers suffer from bad breath, and are susceptible to colds, influenza and other respiratory infections. Those who chew tobacco may experience nausea and stomach ache, as well as the urge to spit, an unhealthy habit. Long-term effects: Over the long-term, many smokers will develop yellowing of the teeth, skin and fingers from nicotine. Besides, the nicotine and other toxins will gradually accumulate in the brain, heart and blood vessels. The person may suffer from nausea and vomitting, restlessness, irritation, increased blood pressure and palpitatiopn of the heart, impaired functioning of the heart, and unnecessary amounts of cholesterol in the blood. When we inhale tobacco smoke, we not only inhale poisonous substances and nicotine but also gases such as carbon monoxide which readily mix with the haemoglobin in the red blood cells and hamper the smooth supply of the life-supporting gas, oxygen. This can cause damage to the heart's tissue. This is one of the reasons why smokers get heart disease, strokes and heart failure. It has been closely linked to lung and many other cancers. Use of chewing tobacco has been associated with cancer of the tongue and gums. Tobacco smoking is linked to infertility in women. It can cause irregular menstrual periods. Use of tobacco by pregnant women may cause birth defects, such as low birth weight, to their babies. Passive smoking: Even if you don't smoke, but you spend time in close quarters with a smoker, you may experience the negative health effects of smoking. The tobacco smoke in the atmosphere can also cause lung cancer and heart attacks in adult nonsmokers and produce respiratory problems in small children. In fact, the negative effects on health may be even greater than for smokers. Is tobacco addictive? Tobacco is highly addictive. Both physical and psychological dependence easily develop. If a smoker suddenly stops using the drug, he or she will experience withdrawl sysmptoms such as irritability, difficulty in concentrating, head-aches, sleeplessness, and increased appetite. These symptoms may persist for weeks. How can I quit using tobacco? There are many ways to quit. Some people stop suddenly while others gradually decrease their consumption. Some find it helpful to take up new hobbies or sports as diversion. Others will seek medical or other help, such as hypnosis, meditation or acupuncture. There is no one method which works every time; individuals will have to choose one or a combination of methods. However, there is a very good success rate for those who keep trying and positive effects on their health occur very quickly.
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