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Tobacco and Nicotine

Section
Drugs
What is it?

Tobacco is a green and leafy agricultural product. The leaves of the plant are dried, ground and cured, and combined with over roughly 4,000 chemicals including a stimulant, nicotine, which is an extremely addictive chemical compound.

Side effects

Tobacco is one of the most harmful drugs and can damage almost every organ of the body. Tobacco causes nearly one of every five deaths in the United States each year.

Names

Tobacco comes in multiple forms: cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, smokeless tobacco, pipe and a hookah. Common slang names for cigarettes are cigs, butts and smokes; for smokeless tobacco, slang names include dip and chew.

Resources
  • Quitline Iowa Quitline Iowa is a toll-free, statewide tobacco cessation telephone counseling hotline (1-800-784-8669). Trained counselors provide callers with information about the health consequences of tobacco use, assistance in making an individualized quit plan, and ongoing support through optional follow-up calls.
  • My Life My Quit  At My Life, My Quit we share the truth about nicotine, vaping and other tobacco products. If you decide you want to quit, we're here to help you do it successfully. Text "Start My Quit" to 855.891.9989 or call to talk with a coach who is ready to listen and cheer you on. It's YOUR LIFE and we're here to help you live it YOUR WAY.
  • Vaping, E-Cigarettes & Electronic Smoking Devices Find up to date information on Vaping from the Iowa Department of Public Health Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control.
  • Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids A leading force in the fight to reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world. We advocate for public policies proven to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke. Learn more about our key initiatives.
  • Iowa Dept. of Public Health  Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Programs, events, master tobacco settlement agreement, publications and fact sheets, statistics.
  • Tobacco.org Tobacco News and Information News, quotes, resources, links, tobacco history.
  • Smoking and Tobacco Use from the CDC Site with tobacco information for all ages. Includes Surgeon General's tobacco reports, data, statistics and fact sheets, cessation information, educational materials, and campaigns and events.
  • The American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2020 The American Lung Association has released its annual State of Tobacco Control report grading all 50 states on their policies to reduce tobacco addiction, diseases and death. Find out if your state has the policies in place to get the job done.
  • American Cancer Society Smoking health issues, public issues, quitting smoking, the Great American Smokeout, smoking-related cancers.
  • National Cancer Institute Valuable cancer-related health information. Tobacco, smoking and cessation fact sheets.
  • Smokefree.gov Offers science-driven tools, information, and support proven effective in helping smokers quit. Find state and national resources, free materials, and the best quitting advice the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has to offer.
  • TobaccoFree.org Organization aims is to educate people of all ages about smoking and tobacco use.
  • TobaccoFreeLife.org  Information and tips on how to get started, make a plan, and stay tobacco free.
  • Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights Information on secondhand smoke, smoke free advocacy, tobacco industry information, and current nonsmokers campaigns

Sources:

(2012, August 20). Effects of Smoking on Your Health. Retrieved June 08, 2017, from https://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/health-effects/smoking-health/index.html