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TOBACCO FACTS:
- Two children become daily smokers every
hour in Indiana.
- Roughly one-third of all youth smokers will eventually die prematurely
from smoking-related disease.
- 21.6 percent of high school students are daily smokers by the time they
leave high school.
- Smoking during adolescence is associated with an increased likelihood of
using illegal drugs.
- Smokers have a higher risk of developing several chronic disorders
including several types of cancer, lung diseases including asthma and
emphysema and cardiovascular disease.
- Nearly every adult who smokes (almost 90 percent) took his or her first
puff at or before the age of 18.
- An estimated 8% of high school students and 3% of middle school students
are daily smokeless tobacco users.
- Smokeless does not mean harmless as “spit tobacco” contains at least 28
known cancer-causing agents. Spit tobacco also contains roughly twice the
nicotine content as cigarettes.
- Smokeless tobacco causes leukoplakia, an early warning sign of oral cancer
characterized by white patches and oral lesions on the cheeks, gums, and/or
tongue. Leukoplakia, which can lead to oral cancer, occurs in more than half
of all users in the first three years of use. Studies have found that 60 to 78
percent of spit tobacco users have oral lesions.
- Adolescents who use smokeless tobacco are also more likely to become
cigarette smokers.
KNOW SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO QUIT USING
TOBACCO?
If you are a tobacco user and would like to quit smoking or
chewing, there are several resources at your disposal. You may contact the Union
County Health Department, the Indiana Tobacco Quitline or your family physician.
Indiana Tobacco Quitline
1-800-QUIT-NOW
For More Information Contact:
Union County Health Department
6 West South Street - Suite 2, Liberty, IN 47353
Tel: 765-458-5393
FAX: 765-458-5582
Internet: support@uchd.com
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Union County Health Department
