Tobacco

Products such as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and wet and dry snuff contain dried leaves from the tobacco plant. The main chemical in tobacco is nicotine, which is a stimulant drug that speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and body. Tar and carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) are also released when tobacco is burned, such as when it’s smoked. Electronic cigarettes (also known as E cigarettes) don’t contain dried tobacco leaves, but they may still contain nicotine.
Common Names

Ciggies

Darts

Rollies

Smokes

Fags

Butts

Cancer Sticks
How is it used?

Tobacco is usually smoked in cigarettes. It is also smoked in cigars and pipes.

Side Effects of Tobacco

There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries risk.

Tobacco affects everyone differently, based on:

• Size, weight and health
• Whether the person is used to taking it
• Whether other drugs are taken around the same time
• The amount taken
• The strength of the tobacco and how much is contained in the product

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There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries risk.

Tobacco affects everyone differently, based on:

• Size, weight and health
• Whether the person is used to taking it
• Whether other drugs are taken around the same time
• The amount taken
• The strength of the tobacco and how much is contained in the product
The following effects may be experienced:

Feeling more alert, happy and relaxed

Coughing

Dizziness, headaches

Fast heart beat

Bad breath

Tingling and numbness in fingers and toes

Reduced appetite, stomach cramps and vomiting

If a large amount of tobacco is taken the following effects may also be experienced:

Confusion

Feeling faint

Seizures

Fast breathing

Respiratory arrest (stop breathing) and death

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The following effects may be experienced:

Feeling more alert, happy and relaxed

Coughing

Dizziness, headaches

Fast heart beat

Bad breath

Tingling and numbness in fingers and toes

Reduced appetite, stomach cramps and vomiting

If a large amount of tobacco is taken the following effects may also be experienced:

Confusion

Feeling faint

Seizures

Fast breathing

Respiratory arrest (stop breathing) and death
Long-term effects:

Regular use of tobacco may eventually cause:

Shortness of breath

Coughing fits, asthma and lung diseases

Regular colds or flu

Loss of taste and smell

Yellow, rotting teeth

Yellow finger tips

Early wrinkles

Back pain

Slower-healing wounds

Mood swings

Eye disease and hearing loss

Stomach ulcers

Difficulty having children (males and females)

Irregular periods and early menopause (females)

Difficulty getting an erection (males)

Cancer (in many areas of the body)

Stroke and brain damage

Heart attack and disease

Needing to use more to get the same effect

Dependence on tobacco

Financial, work and social problems

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Long-term effects:

Regular use of tobacco may eventually cause:

Shortness of breath

Coughing fits, asthma and lung diseases

Regular colds or flu

Loss of taste and smell

Yellow, rotting teeth

Yellow finger tips

Early wrinkles

Back pain

Slower-healing wounds

Mood swings

Eye disease and hearing loss

Stomach ulcers

Difficulty having children (males and females)

Irregular periods and early menopause (females)

Difficulty getting an erection (males)

Cancer (in many areas of the body)

Stroke and brain damage

Heart attack and disease

Needing to use more to get the same effect

Dependence on tobacco

Financial, work and social problems

Smoking

Some people believe that smoking ‘light’ or ‘low tar’ cigarettes is less harmful than regular cigarettes. However, there is little difference between the amount of chemicals inhaled by people who smoke ‘light’ cigarettes and those who smoke regular ones.

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Some people believe that smoking ‘light’ or ‘low tar’ cigarettes is less harmful than regular cigarettes. However, there is little difference between the amount of chemicals inhaled by people who smoke ‘light’ cigarettes and those who smoke regular ones.
Passive smoking

Passive smoking is when someone breathes in smoke from other people smoking. Passive smoking can cause many of the health problems listed above, so it’s important not to smoke near other people, particularly babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with chronic respiratory conditions.

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Passive smoking

Passive smoking is when someone breathes in smoke from other people smoking. Passive smoking can cause many of the health problems listed above, so it’s important not to smoke near other people, particularly babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with chronic respiratory conditions.