Lesson 9.1 Tobacco Products and Your Health

Learning Outcomes

After studying this lesson, you will be able to

• various forms of tobacco products.

• the hazardous effects of nicotine on the body.

• the health risks of cigarettes, vaping devices, and smokeless tobacco.

• the mental, social, and legal consequences of tobacco use.

• the health impact of tobacco use on others.

Using any form of a tobacco product increases risk of developing many . It can also lead to a , which you will learn about in the next lesson. This lesson examines the different types of , the effects of tobacco use on the body, and the health impact of being around others who smoke or vape.

Types of Tobacco Products

According to the (FDA), a tobacco product is any product made or derived from tobacco and intended for human consumption. used to create tobacco-related products such as , , and . Tobacco leaves contain the chemical nicotine. Nicotine is a toxic substance that gives tobacco products their addictive quality. Types of tobacco products include cigarettes, , and smokeless tobacco.

Cigarettes

A cigarette consists of finely cut tobacco, , a filter, and a paper wrapping. It is an example of a combustible tobacco product, or a product that is burned then inhaled. Someone who smokes a cigarette inhales (poisonous) substances that harm the body (Figure 9.1).

Chemicals Found in Cigarettes

Figure 9.1 Cigarettes are made of deadly chemicals that can all cause harm to the body.

The purpose of the filter on a cigarette is to minimize the smoke a person inhales. Modern filters, however, only hold back a small portion of smoke. These filters do not make cigarettes healthier or safer.

Vaping Devices

Today, are the most common form of tobacco product . Vaping devices are tobacco products that heat tobacco or synthetic (manmade) nicotine without burning it. These devices are sometimes called delivery systems (ENDS). Figure 9.2 shows examples of vaping devices.

Vaping devices contain either or an , which is a substance made of nicotine or another drug and other chemicals. E-liquid is also known as e-juice, vape juice, or vape liquid. E-liquids are sometimes with chemicals to taste like peppermint, fruit, or coffee.

A battery is used to the or tobacco to create a vapor that is inhaled. Many people believe that vaping produces a . In reality, heating the e-liquid or tobacco creates an aerosol, or suspension of fine particles or droplets in the air—like dust, smoke, or deodorant spray.

Some people believe vaping devices are safer, healthier, or less addictive than cigarettes. The reality, however, is contain nicotine, just like cigarettes. Nicotine, even when vaped, is still a harmful substance that can cause issues and lead to substance use disorder.

Types of Vaping Devices

E-cigarettes

E-pipes

E-cigars

Hookah pens

Figure 9.2 Vaping devices come in various shapes and forms. What is a substance made of nicotine and other chemicals that vaping devices contain?

Smokeless Tobacco

is a type of tobacco product a person chews, , or dissolves rather than . It is a noncombustible, or not burned, tobacco product. People absorb the nicotine in smokeless tobacco through their . Like cigarettes, smokeless tobacco contains many substances that can harm the body. Figure 9.3 shows forms of smokeless tobacco.

Tobacco use, misuse, and a person’s risk for developing a number of major health conditions. These include cancer, , and respiratory conditions. In the following sections, you will learn how nicotine affects the body, as well as the health effects of each type of tobacco product.

Health Effects of Nicotine

Tobacco products introduce nicotine into a person’s body. Cigarettes, vaping devices, and smokeless tobacco all contain . Even some e-liquids that claim to be nicotine-free can contain nicotine.

On entering the body, nicotine acts as a , which causes short-term signs and symptoms such as , , and . It also causes the release of the chemical . Dopamine leads to an that people crave when using nicotine products. Exposure to nicotine harms the and of a fetus. Long-term, the body develops a tolerance to nicotine. This means people have to consume higher amounts of nicotine to experience the same effects they felt when consuming lower amounts.

Nicotine is a highly , which means it is difficult to stop using. In fact, in 2010, the US Surgeon General identified that nicotine was as and heroin. As a result, a person who uses nicotine is at serious risk for becoming addicted and developing a substance use disorder. Once someone has an addiction to nicotine, that person will experience symptoms without the substance.

In addition to being addictive, nicotine is toxic and extremely to a person’s health. Nicotine severely affects multiple body systems (Figure 9.4).

Lilanakani/Shutterstock.com

Figure 9.4 Nicotine is highly toxic to a person’s body systems, and its harmful effects are not always reversible.

Health Effects of Cigarettes

On average, long-term users of cigarettes years earlier than people who do not use cigarettes. According to the US Surgeon General, people who smoke have a higher risk of developing , vision loss, tuberculosis, and arthritis. Smoking cigarettes leads to signs such as stained teeth, sagging skin, and hair and clothes that smell like smoke. It also changes the shape of taste buds. Some people who smoke long-term may lose their and interest in eating.

Cigarettes and cigarette smoke contain and toxic substances that harm the body. They also contain more than , or cancer-causing substances. These carcinogens increase a person’s risk for developing throat, esophagus, lungs, and bladder. This is why people who smoke have higher rates of cancer than people who do not. Smoking is also linked to harm to fetal growth, , and stillbirths.

Smoking cigarettes also affects the , which includes the lungs. Smoking damages the respiratory system and makes . Burning tobacco produces a residue known as tar. This substance consists of small, thick, sticky particles. As smoke repeatedly passes through the respiratory system, in the lungs. Smoking-related damage to the lungs contributes to the development of chronic respiratory diseases and triggers asthma attacks (Figure 9.5).

Respiratory Conditions Caused by Smoking

• : ongoing condition in which small tubes in lungs become swollen and irritated

• : causes airways in lungs to become permanently enlarged and decreases amount of oxygen entering the lungs and bloodstream

• : chronic disease caused by blockages of airflow to and from the lungs; can lead to asthma attack

• Lung cancer: abnormal cells grow rapidly along the air passages to form a tumor that affects lungs' ability to transport oxygen to bloodstream

iStock.com/Nerthuz

Figure 9.5 Smoking-related damage to the lungs can have long-term effects on the respiratory system. What residue from cigarettes damages the lungs?

Health Effects of Vaping Devices

Some people see vaping, or the use of , as a harmless alternative to smoking cigarettes. They may also see these devices as less addictive than cigarettes. In reality, vaping is not harmless.

Vaping introduces (or another drug) into a person’s body. E-liquids with nicotine contain large amounts of nicotine. For example, one e-liquid pod can contain as much nicotine as a pack of . Even e-liquids that claim to be nicotine-free contain nicotine.

Most of the time, when people vape, they are consuming an made of many chemicals (Figure 9.6). Scientists know that inhaling the chemicals in aerosol can lead to respiratory conditions, including inflammation and disease. One rare lung disease related to vaping is popcorn lung. , a flavoring found in more than 75 percent of flavored e-liquids, causes this disease (Figure 9.7). causes scarring and inflammation in the , the smallest airways in the lungs. This can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing.

Health Effects of Smokeless Tobacco

contains nicotine and carcinogens. The harmful effects of these substances are the same as if they were . In fact, because smokeless tobacco is placed directly into the mouth, people who use these products actually absorb even than people who smoke.

People who use smokeless tobacco are less likely to develop than people who use cigarettes or vaping devices. They do increase their risk of developing other serious diseases, however. Figure 9.8 shows the health risks of smokeless tobacco.

Health Risks of Smokeless Tobacco

of the mouth, throat, cheek, gums, lips, tongue, pancreas, and esophagus

Leukoplakia, a condition characterized by thickened, white, leathery spots inside the mouth, which can develop into

Heart disease

Dental disease, including teeth staining, , tooth decay and loss, gum disease, and gum recession

Figure 9.8 Smokeless tobacco is just as harmful as cigarettes or vaping devices, and can put users at risk for certain cancers, leukoplakia, heart disease, and dental diseases.

Studio_G/Shutterstock.com

Mental, Social, and Legal Consequences

Tobacco products do more than affect the . They impact a person's mind and and can lead to legal consequences. The effects of tobacco use and misuse are long lasting and can affect your future in serious ways.

Mental Consequences

Most young people believe they can smoke, vape, or occasionally or even regularly for a few years and then easily quit. The reality, however, is most people become dependent on the nicotine. For example, young people are especially sensitive to the effects of because their brains are still developing until 25 years of age, which makes it easier to develop an . A dependence on nicotine makes it very difficult to stop using tobacco products.

Nicotine makes it harder to learn, , and control impulses. People who use nicotine are more likely to engage in other , such as sexual activity and illegal drug use. Nicotine can also make mental health conditions and mental illnesses worse if people use nicotine to relieve symptoms instead of seeking .

Social Consequences

The use of tobacco can harm a person's social relationships. When people feel on nicotine, getting more of that substance can seem like the only important thing to them. As a result, young people may lie to their parents, guardians, or friends about their use of tobacco products. They may to buy cigarettes, vaping devices or e-liquids, or . Lying and theft can cause long-term trust issues.

Because tobacco use harms people’s health, people may withdraw from someone who uses tobacco products. A person who uses tobacco products may have to leave a social situation to smoke, vape, or chew. This may cause the person to feel left out or miss special moments.

Legal Consequences

Young people who use and misuse tobacco can experience serious legal consequences. In the United States, the federal government recently increased the legal age for buying tobacco products, including vaping products, from age 18 to age 21 (Figure 9.9). Some cities, such as Beverly Hills in California, have banned the sale of tobacco products altogether.

Zoart Studio/Shutterstock.com

Figure 9.9 Tobacco products are illegal to purchase under 21 years of age in the United States, including online purchases.

Some people under the legal age limit try to buy or ask someone else to buy tobacco products for them. If they are caught doing this, they may have to pay fines or perform community service.

Many schools have policies that forbid the use of cigarettes, vaping devices, and smokeless tobacco. Students who bring these products to school or use them in the classroom or at school-sponsored events may face disciplinary actions and even suspension. In communities, young people can also face legal consequences for using tobacco products in public places, such as restaurants.