Tobacco 101

• Cigarette smokers are 20 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers? Here are some things to think about:
• Approximately 50 of the 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer.
• 90% of lung cancer is attributable to tobacco products.
• Tobacco accounts for 1 out of every 10 deaths worldwide and claimed 5.5 million lives in 2009 alone.
• Smoking can exacerbate sinus conditions, such as post-nasal drip (mucus dripping down the back of the throat), which also increases the risk of bad breath.
• Nicotine exposure reduces the size of taste buds by decreasing the number of taste cells.
• It's hard to breathe easy when you hear that every drag from a cigarette contains hydrogen cyanide, the same chemical used as a weapon in World War II. Got your gas mask ready?
• This will take your breath away. Carbon monoxide, the same gas found in your car's exhaust, is in tobacco smoke. With every puff it robs the body of oxygen and makes it difficult to perform simple tasks like running, thinking or breathing.
• Pregnant women who smoke increase their risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and Sudden Infancy Death Syndrome.
• Health Canada estimates that more than 300 non-smokers will die of lung cancer and at least 700 non-smokers will die of coronary heart disease caused by exposure to second-hand smoke.
• Some studies have shown that second-hand smoke can cause leukemia (a type of cancer) in cats and that dogs in smoking households have a greater risk of cancer.

When you’re ready to quit smoking, join Quitters Unite and we’ll help you set a quit date and stick to it, track your progress, and support you with our online community.