160 likes | 268 Views
The Truth About Tobacco. Tobacco Truths. LONG TERM: Cancer Respiratory disease Heart attack When used as directed – kills people. SHORT TERM: Makes your teeth yellow and clothes smell Extremely addictive Very costly – to all of us Legal problems. More Tobacco Truths.
E N D
Tobacco Truths LONG TERM: • Cancer • Respiratory disease • Heart attack • When used as directed – kills people • SHORT TERM: • Makes your teeth yellow and clothes smell • Extremely addictive • Very costly – to all of us • Legal problems
More Tobacco Truths • Tobacco kills more people each year than • Alcohol • AIDS • Car crashes • Illegal drugs • Murders • Suicides • Homicides • COMBINED!
Tobacco Myths • It’s relaxing • Everyone’s doing it, so I should too • You’re only hurting yourself if you use • I’m 18, I have the right to choose to smoke
More Tobacco Myths • Smokeless is safer than smoking • It is not as addictive as… • People can quit anytime they want • THE TRUTH IS… Nicotine is more addictive than alcohol, heroin, or cocaine
Why Do People Even Start? • The Tobacco Industry knows how to market! • They spend over $12.8 BILLION in the U.S. each year • That’s $35 MILLION A DAY on advertising!
Marketing Works! • Research shows that youth are 3 times as sensitive to tobacco advertising that adults • 1/3 of underage experimentation is attributable to tobacco advertising • 81% of youth smokers prefer Marlboro, Camel and Newport- the 3 most heavily advertised brands
They NEED it to Work! • They know that 90% of smokers started in their teens • They MUST get replacement smokers. • Their customers DIE!
Youth Tobacco Use • Over 3.5 Million youth under 18 are current tobacco users • 1/5 are current smokers by the time they leave high school • 13.1% of 10th graders & 6.5% of 8th graders are current smokers
Youth Tobacco Use • 3,500 youth under age 18 try smoking for the first time each day • 1,000 of them become regular daily smokers • Youth consume 800 Million packs of cigarettes each year ($2 Billion in revenue)
What’s in the Stuff Anyway? • 599 ingredients that when burned ignite over 4,000 dangerous chemicals • Over 50 of which are KNOWN to cause cancer
What’s in the Stuff Anyway? • Some of the common ingredients include: • Ammonia • Acetone • Arsenic • Cyanide • Formaldehyde • DDT • Cadmium
Tobacco’s Toll on US • 400,000 smokers die each year • 50,000 nonsmokers die each year • 1,200 people will lose their lives TODAY because of tobacco • That’s one person every 72 seconds
Secondhand Smoke • 15.5 Million kids in the U.S. are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home • Waiters and Waitresses who work in a smoke-filled restaurant or bar inhale enough 2nd hand smoke to have smoked 2 packs during an 8-hr shift!
Secondhand Smoke • Contains all the same harmful chemicals as the smoke from the cigarette • Chemicals stay in air, and in fabric, etc for extended period of time • Third-hand smoke is becoming a problem!
For more information… • Texas School Safety Center: • www.txssc.txstate.edu/si • 877-304-2727 • Ruby Moore • Program Manager • rm72@txstate.edu • For statistical information: • www.tobaccofreekids.org