Medical expenses caused by tobacco cost $75 billion annually.
	Each NY household pays approximately an extra $900 in taxes to pay for others' tobacco-related illnesses.
	The cost of human life and property damage due to cigarette-related fires exceeds $6 billion every year.
	An estimated $400 million in tax revenue is lost due to internet tobacco sales.

 

	In places where food is scarce, farmers began growing tobacco; they believed it would be so profitable that they could afford to buy more food seeds.  However, growing tobacco is so demanding that farmers do not have time to grow food crops.  Children are withdrawing from school to help their parents grow tobacco.  Sadly, profits are minimal for the poor farmers while the big tobacco companies are reaping hefty profits.
	Tobacco companies have exaggerated the economical benefits of tobacco production.  Profits from growing edible crops can be higher than profits from growing tobacco.
	Growing tobacco puts an extraordinary strain on soil, draining it of elements necessary to use the same fields to plant edible crops later.
	Tobacco companies are reported to be working in cohort with local governments to suppress farmers' grievances about serious safety issues.
	Fire curing of tobacco leaves in is done by burning wood.  This is causing significant deforestation of endangered trees needed for shade, preservation of topsoil, biodiversity, and support of local wildlife.
	The poorest people of the world are the most likely to smoke.  84% of the world's smokers live in developing countries. Tobacco worsens poverty via increased health costs, absenteeism from work, and diversion of money from buying food to buying tobacco.  Tobacco and Poverty:  A Vicious Circle

(Sources:  World Health Organization, World Bank, American Burn Association)                               back to top

	Acetone¾(nail polish remover) causes irritation of the nose, throat, lung, and eye, causes headaches, light-headedness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, unconsciousness, coma, distorts your menstrual cycle, makes your heart beat faster, and effects your blood
	Ammonia¾(floor and toilet cleaner) enhances the effect of nicotine to the brain
	Benzene¾(solvent in dyes and rubber) associated with leukemia
	Cadmium¾(used to make batteries) causes kidney damage and lung cancer
	Carbon Monoxide¾(car exhaust fumes) increases your heart rate and replaces oxygen in your blood
	Formaldehyde¾(tissue and fabric preserver) causes respiratory diseases and cancer
	Cyanide ¾(gas chamber poison) causes headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting
	Lead¾(toxic metal) causes damage to your brain, nervous system and kidneys
	Mercury¾(used in thermometers) causes shakiness, memory loss and kidney disease
	Nicotine¾(drug) makes cigarettes as addictive as cocaine and heroin; increases your heart rate and blood pressure; constricts blood vessels
	Tar¾(transports chemicals in cigarettes to body parts) stains your teeth and paralyzes your respiratory system's ability to protect and clean the lungs

MYTH:  Tobacco Isn't Harmful to the Environment

 

	2.1 billion pounds of cigarette filters were discarded worldwide in 1998.
	Most cigarette filters are made of plastic and take decades to decompose.
	Chemicals seep out of cigarette butts and contaminate freshwater and sea water.  Even a tiny amount of butts poison water.
	Animals mistake butts for food and eat them, causing illness and death.
	Small children often eat butts too, causing vomiting, nausea, lethargy, gagging, and paleness or flushed appearance.
	The cost of picking up tobacco-related litter is immense.  An article in the Philadelphia Daily News estimated the cost of removing tobacco litter from the Penn State campus at $150,000 in 2000.

 

(Source:  Longwood University)

 

MYTH:  Tobacco Use only Hurts the User

 

	Secondhand smoke can come from two places: smoke breathed out by a person who smokes, and smoke from the end of a burning cigarette.  It is virtually impossible to avoid inhaling secondhand smoke because most of the smoke from cigarettes ends up in the air.
	Children exposed to secondhand smoke have a greater chance of developing colds, pneumonia, chronic coughs, bronchitis, and ear infections.
	Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer and other health problems. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are 3000 lung cancer deaths in the United States every year from secondhand smoke.
	62,000 nonsmokers die every year from secondhand smoke.  That's 169 deaths every day!
	Secondhand smoke hurts pets too!  It is known to cause higher veterinary bills, all types of cancers, infertility, respiratory problems, etc.

 

(Source:   Centers for Disease Control)

 

 

 

 

MYTH:  Tobacco Use Isn't Harmful to My Health

 

	Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, causing almost half a million deaths each year.
	Nationally, tobacco use results in more than 5.6 million years of potential life lost each year.
	More than 6.4 million children living today will die prematurely because of a decision they will make as teens¾the decision to use tobacco.
	In addition to the health problems listed here, smoking causes wrinkles, discolorations on hands, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and an array of respiratory illnesses.

 

For more information:  I Can't Breathe video

 

(Source:  Centers for Disease Control)

 

Some other facts:

	Cigarettes are the leading cause of fatal home fires in our country.
	Annually, about 1000 Americans die from fires started by cigarettes and approximately 3000 are injured.
	More than 100 victims who die every year are children and nonsmokers.
	In 1997, there were more than 130,000 cigarette related fires.

(Sources:  American Burn Association, Centers for Disease Control)

	Many kinds of cancer (mouth, uterus, cervix, bladder, and more)
	Heart disease
	Stroke
	Stomach ulcers
	Addiction
	Decreased fertility
	Stained teeth
	Gum disease and tooth loss
	Tooth decay
	Spots and sores on lips and skin
	Hair loss
	Bad breath
	Loss of vision
	Tumors that are horrifyingly disfiguring and debilitating, interfering with swallowing, speaking, and eating
	Gangrene
	Rheumatoid Arthritis