Tobacco+Smoke

Heather Collina

Ms. Angela Cross

Science Core 3

30 April 2012

**__Tobacco Smoke__** __HISTORY:__ In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the West Indies; he found that the people living there smoked the leaves of the tobacco plant. He

took those plant seeds and some products back to Spain. With each trip to the “New World” the use of tobacco grew. That discovery forever

changed life as we know it.

__SMOKING:__ The definition of smoking is the burning of tobacco in a pipe, a cigar, or a cigarette. Some people feel a “relaxation” feeling due to smoking.

This is from nicotine, an addictive alkaloid, in tobacco. An alkaloid is any class of nitrogen-containing natural products of plant or animal origin.

(Stanton A. Glantz “Smoking”)

__ADDICTION:__ The most used drug in the United States’ history is nicotine. This chemical affects the chemistry of the brain. The chemical, nicotine, interferes

with a process in the brain by stimulating the nervous system. This gives the smoker a “high” or a “lift” feeling. While using this drug your body

craves it and when you are not smoking your body will start to want it again.

__CHEMICALS:__ Nicotine isn’t the only chemicals in tobacco products. There are more than four thousand seven hundred chemical compounds. Some of the

chemicals are cardiac poisons, cancer- causing agents, and industrial solvents. When you inhale theses toxic chemicals it burns the linings of

the air passages inside the lungs and reduces the smoker’s ability to fight off diseases. In other words lowers the immune system.

__HEALTH EFFECTS:__ These chemicals can cause heart diseases, strokes, lung diseases, cancer, and birth defects. Tobacco can even cause Asthma. Asthma is a

long-term disease affecting the airways to the lungs. It causes breathing problems that may be mild, moderate, or severe. (Adrian M. Casillas

Asthma) Most cases of Asthma start in childhood. Recently there have been cases of Asthma due to tobacco smoke.

Cancer is another disease that tobacco causes. Cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth. (Susan M. Hubbard and Vincent T. DeVita Jr.

“Cancer) Tobacco can cause a verity of cancer like lung cancer which affects the lungs and heart cancer which affects the workings of the

heart. Lung cancer is caused when the tar builds up. This happens when you inhale the chemicals in tobacco smoke.

__NON-SMOKERS:__ Smoking doesn’t just affect the smoker and the smoker’s body but also the people who they smoke around. While the smoker exhales the

chemicals it goes into the air and the non- smokers inhale them. They have just as high of a risk of getting diseases or even cancer as the

smoker does.

__QUITTING:__ Overall smoking is really bad for the smoker’s health. Here are some ways the smoker could stop. They should START the process.


 * Set a quit date


 * Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit. Support is everything.


 * Anticipate and plan for the challenges you’ll face, like cravings.


 * Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work. You do not want to be tempted.


 * Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.

Works Citied Casillas, Adrian M. "Asthma." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.

Collins, W. K. "Tobacco." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012

Glantz, Stanton A. "Smoking." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2012.

Hubbard, Susan Molloy, and Vincent T. DeVita., Jr. "Cancer." Reviewed by Barbara Burtness. The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.

Koop, C. Everett. "Smoking." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.