What is it?
Tobacco is a plant that contains nicotine, a psychoactive (mind altering) drug that speeds up a person's breathing and heart rate. Nicotine also speeds up activity in our central nervous system but has relaxing effects too. Tobacco comes in many forms, including:
• Cigarettes (dried, processed leaves that are rolled in a paper tube and smoked),
• Pipe tobacco (dried, processed leaves that are added to a pipe and smoked),
• Chewing tobacco (a form of processed tobacco that is put between the cheek and gums)
• Snuff or snus (a powdered form of processed tobacco that is sniffed or put between the lower lip or cheek and gums)
Nicotine is also available in non-tobacco products (including gum, patches, sprays and inhalers) intended for use as a smoking cessation aid, and in liquid form intended for inhalation use in a vapourizer ('vaping').
How does it work?
When tobacco leaves are smoked, nicotine is absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream. When tobacco is chewed or sniffed, nicotine is absorbed through membranes in the mouth and nose. It then travels through the body to the brain. Nicotine triggers the release of dopamine, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) associated with pleasure. The effects can range from mild stimulation to relaxation. But tobacco (and other nicotine products) may affect different people in different ways, depending on how much you use and how often. Other factors include your past experiences with tobacco, and mental and physical health condition.
What are the associated risks and health effects?
Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Those who smoke a little once in a while may enjoy the stimulant or relaxing effects of tobacco and may not notice changes in their health. But even light and occasional smoking increases your risk of experiencing tobacco-related illness.
When a person smokes tobacco, their blood pressure and heart rate increase. At the same time, the blood flow to their feet and hands decreases. If they have a cold or suffer from asthma, their symptoms may get worse. Some new smokers may get tired or shaky after they smoke. The longer a person smokes or is around smoke, the greater their chances of developing a smoking related illness such as:
• Cancer of the lungs, mouth or throat
• Cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attack
• Respiratory diseases, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis
• Problems with their teeth and gums
Childhood asthma has been linked to second-hand smoke. Using chew or snuff does not affect other people, but both forms of smokeless tobacco contain chemicals and toxins. Women who smoke are more likely than men to develop health problems. Smoking can interfere with a woman’s menstrual cycle. Those who smoke while taking birth control pills are 10 times more likely to have a stroke. Smoking when pregnant can harm both the mother and the unborn baby, as harmful chemicals can be transferred from the mother to the fetus. If women smoke when pregnant, they are at increased risk of miscarriage and their babies may have a lower body weight.
Using tobacco is a problem when it negatively affects our life or the lives of others. The pattern of tobacco use— that is, how much and how often you use it — can influence the level of risk. If you use tobacco regularly, in addition to increasing your chance of chronic disease , you may also develop dependence. This means you need to use tobacco just to feel normal and function in daily life. People who smoke regularly and then try to stop can experience feelings of withdrawal: irritability, restlessness, disturbed sleep and difficulties concentrating. Many people think tobacco-related problems only happen to people who smoke a lot every day. Yet even occasional use of small amounts of tobacco increases our risk of health problems. And tobacco smoke can harm those who inhale it in the form of second-hand smoke. The smoke that fills the air around a smoker contains dangerous toxins.
Tobacco use also has the potential to negatively affect our social lives. While smoking a few cigarettes may help you relax in a social setting, non-smoking policies have become the norm in public places and in many homes, potentially leading to fewer opportunities to socialize with friends who may not want to be around second-hand smoke.
Acknowledgments
[2014] This fact sheet was produced by the
Centre for
Addictions Research of BC
on behalf of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information. An excerpt
has been reproduced here with permission. To read the full fact sheet and for more
helpful substance use and mental health resources, please visit
www.heretohelp.bc.ca