special subjects
Smoking and Other Tobacco Use
Symptoms of Tobacco Use
Smoking is harmful to almost every organ in the body. Nicotineis a stimulant that activates the pleasure center in the brain. When obtained through smoking,nicotinecan increase energy and concentration and decrease appetite. Once a person is addicted, smoking will reduce symptoms ofnicotinewithdrawal and may feel relaxing. People not used tonicotinemay have nausea, flushing, or both. People who handle large amounts of tobacco leavesmay absorbnicotinethrough their skin and develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, and weakness. This illness has been termed green tobacco sickness. Children who eat tobacco products ornicotinegum or ingest e-liquidcan develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, and weakness, along with agitation and confusion, sometimes from as little as one cigarette. However, serious or fatal toxicity in children is uncommon, in part because the vomiting empties the stomach. (See alsoAmerican Association of Poison Control Centers: E-cigarettes and Nicotine.) The leading smoking-related health problems are the following: Overview of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) (mainly heart attacks and angina) Lung Cancer None (COPD) Smoking also increases the risk of Overview of Stroke , other cancers (such as People who do not smoke but who are exposed to smoke from a burning cigarette or the smoke exhaled by a nearby person (passive, or secondhand smoking) can develop many of the same disorders as people who smoke, particularly with repeated and sustained exposure. The U.S. Surgeon General concluded there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. Children exposed to cigarette smokelose more school days because of illness than nonexposed children. The toxicity of smokeless tobacco can vary from one brand to another. Risks include heart and blood vessel disorders, mouth disorders (for example, Mouth and Throat Cancer , Vaping are devices consisting of a battery and a cartridge containing an atomizer to heat a solution, often with Smoking can interact with medications. The effects are largely due to tars (a by-product of smoking) affecting the liver, and not due to thenicotine; hence, most effects are not seen withnicotinereplacement therapy (NRT). Smoking dries and wrinkles a person's skin, thins the hair, and turns the teeth and fingers yellow. People who smoke tend to weigh about 10 pounds less than they would if they did not smoke, but not everyone gains weight when they quit smoking. Also, the harmful effects of smoking far outweigh the risks of weight gain. Employees who smoke cost employers on average over $5,000 more per year than nonsmoking employees due to greater health care costs and more missed days of work. Smoking increases the risk of unemployment and makes it harder to find re-employment. Nicotine Withdrawal may result in many unpleasant symptoms, including a craving for 