To learn more about tobacco or

obtain referrals to programs in your

community, contact one of the

following toll-free numbers:

SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse

for Alcohol and Drug Information

800-729-6686

TDD 800-487-4889

linea gratis en español

877-767-8432

Curious about the TV ads of the National Youth

Anti-Drug Media Campaign? Check out the Web site at

www.freevibe.com or visit the Office of National Drug

Control Policy Web site at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.

The bottom line: The bottom line: If The bottom line: you know someone who is using tobacco, urge

him or her to quit. If you are using it—stop! The longer you ignore the

real facts, the more chances you take with your health and well-being.

It's never too late. Talk to your parents, a doctor, a counselor, a teacher,

or another adult you trust.

Do it today!

Q.Doesn't smoking help you relax?

A. No. Smoking can actually increase feelings of stress and

nervousness. Break the cycle: Use

drug-free strategies to calm your

nerves, like exercise and talking to

your friends.

Q.Isn't smokeless tobacco safer to

use than cigarettes?

A. No. There is no safe form of

tobacco. Smokeless tobacco can

cause mouth, cheek, throat, and

stomach cancer. Smokeless

tobacco users are up to 5 times

more likely to get oral cancer than

non-users.8

Q.Isn't smoking sexy?

A. Only if you think bad breath,

smelly hair, yellow fingers, and

coughing are sexy. Advertisements

often portray smoking as glamorous and sophisticated, but think

carefully about who created these

ads and why.

Tobacco••••••
Slang—Cigarettes: Smokes, Cigs, Butts. Smokeless Tobacco: Chew, Dip, Spit Tobacco, Snuff

tobacco. Smoking causes shortness of breath and

dizziness, and chewing tobacco causes dehydration.

Think of others. Smoking puts the health of your

friends and family at risk. Breathing other people's

smoke can raise a person's risk of lung cancer by up to

30 percent.5

Get the facts. Each day, nearly 4,000 people under

age 18 try their first cigarette. And roughly 6.4 million

young people living today will die from a tobacco-related

disease.6

Look around you. It may seem like many teens use

tobacco, but most don't. According to a 2002 study, less

than one in seven teens is a regular cigarette smoker. In

fact, two out of three 12- to 17-year-olds have never

even tried a cigarette.7

Know the Signs...

How can you tell if a friend is using tobacco? Sometimes it's tough to tell. But there are signs you can look

for. If your friend has one or more of the following signs,

he or she may be regularly using tobacco:

• Wheezing

• Coughing

• Bad breath

• Smelly hair and clothes

• Yellow-stained teeth and fingers

• Frequent colds

• Decreased senses of smell and taste

• Difficulty keeping up with sports and athletic activities

• Bleeding gums (smokeless tobacco)

• Frequent mouth sores (smokeless tobacco)

What can you do to help someone who is using

tobacco? Be a real friend. Encourage your friend to

quit. For information and referrals, call the National

Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at

800-729-6686.

Toba c co••••••

Get the Facts...

Tobacco damages your health. Smoking is the most

common cause of lung cancer. Smoking is also a leading

cause of cancer of the mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas,

and kidney. Smokeless tobacco can cause mouth cancer,

tooth loss, and other health problems.

Tobacco affects your body's development. Smoking

is particularly harmful for teens because your body is

still growing and changing. The 200 known poisons in

cigarette smoke affect your normal development and

can cause life-threatening diseases, such as chronic

bronchitis, heart disease, and stroke.

Tobacco is addictive. Cigarettes contain nicotine—a

powerfully addictive substance. Three-quarters of young

people who use tobacco daily continue to do so because

they find it hard to quit.1

Tobacco can kill you. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in this country. More than 440,000

Americans die from tobacco-related causes each year,

and most of them began using tobacco before the age of

18.2

Before You Risk It...

Know the law. It is illegal for anyone under 18 to buy

cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or tobacco-related

products.

Stay Informed. Addiction to tobacco is hard to control.

More than 90 percent of teens who use tobacco daily

experience at least one symptom of withdrawal when

they try to quit.3

Keep your edge. The poisons in cigarettes can affect

your appearance. Smoking can dry your skin out and

cause wrinkles. Some research even relates smoking to

premature gray hair and hair loss.4

Be aware. It can be hard to play sports if you use

Revised in 2004

For more information, go to www.ncadi.samhsa.gov