Tobacco
Nicotine is a fast-acting drug that is extremely addictive. Tobacco dependence is a serious, chronic condition, and it can take several attempts to quit, whether trying to quit cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or chewing tobacco. Fortunately, quitting can and has been done and Health Promotion and Well-Being is here to help you quit.
Health Promotion and Well-Being works to promote a healthier campus community through activism and awareness against the harms of tobacco use.
Additional Websites
Tobacco and Smoking
Maryland Clean Indoor Air Laws
- Legal Resource Center for Tobacco Regulation, Litigation and Advocacy
- PDF Document: Maryland Clean Indoor Air Act
Test Your Knowledge
What happens to your body after long-term smoking?
- Development of diseases (like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes)
- Problems with the immune system
- Weakened bones
- Tooth loss and gum disease
- Erectile dysfunction in males
CDC
How does smoking impact your lifespan?
- Smokers die 10 years earlier on average than nonsmokers
- Leading cause of preventable death, causing 7 million deaths per year worldwide
- 5.6 million of Americans currently younger than 18 are expected to die prematurely from smoking
CDC
Will it be hard to quit smoking if I start?
- In 2018, 55.1% of smokers made a quit attempt in the past year. Only 7.5% of smokers who tried to quit succeeded.
CDC
What will happen if I quit smoking?
- Within 2 to 5 years of quitting, your risk for stroke drops to the same risk of stroke as a non-smoker.
- Within 5 years of quitting, your risks of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder drop by half.
- 10 years after quitting smoking, your risk of dying from lung cancer drops by half.
CDC
Does smoking increase my risk of dying from COVID-19?
- Yes
- Admission to the ICU, intubation and mechanical ventilation, and death are all more likely outcomes for smokers
CDC
What are the financial impacts of smoking?
- Using the average cost of cigarettes, it will cost $2,292 per year to support a habit of a pack a day.
- It will cost $22,920 after 10 years.
Smokefree
What chemicals are in a cigarette?
- lead
- tar
- arsenic
- acetone
- formaldehyde
- carbon monoxide
- methanol
- nicotine
- about 600 total ingredients
Lung
What chemicals are in in e-cigarettes?
- benzene
- carcinogens
- heavy metals: nickel, tin, lead
- cadmium
- nicotine
Lung
Are e-cigarettes less addictive than regular cigarettes?
- A recent CDC study found that 99% of all e-cigs sold contain nicotine (the addictive substance in cigarettes), despite claiming on the package to contain no nicotine.
- One JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a 20 pack of cigarettes.
- JUUL is one of the few e-cigs that use nicotine salts. This allows high levels of nicotine to be inhaled with less irritation.
CDC
Are e-cigarettes less bad for you than traditional cigarettes?
- They both contain carcinogens and chemicals found in insecticides, car exhaust, rubber, paint solvents, household cleaners, etc.
- They both contain nicotine, an addictive substance that harms the developing brain until age 25.
- Scientists are still learning about long-term health effects of e-cigs.
CDC