informative speech on smoking

Speech on Smoking

Smoking is a habit that involves burning a substance and inhaling the resulting smoke. You might know it’s mostly associated with tobacco, which people consume in cigarettes or pipes.

The smoke from these products carries thousands of chemicals, including nicotine, which is highly addictive. It’s vital to understand the impacts of smoking on health and society.

1-minute Speech on Smoking

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, we discuss a topic that affects us all, smoking. It’s a habit many people have, but it’s harmful to everyone, even those who don’t smoke.

First, let’s talk about health. Smoking damages our bodies. It’s like an enemy inside us, attacking our lungs, heart, and even our brain. It’s the top reason for lung cancer and heart diseases. The scary part is, it doesn’t just harm the smoker, but people around them too, through second-hand smoke.

Next, consider the cost. Smoking isn’t cheap, and the money spent on it could be used for so many better things. Imagine every coin spent on cigarettes put into a piggy bank. Over time, it could be enough for a vacation, a new bike, or even a college fund!

Then, let’s think about our environment. Cigarette butts litter our parks, streets, and rivers. They are not just ugly; they’re dangerous. They pollute our earth and harm animals who may eat them by mistake.

Lastly, smoking affects our relationships. It makes clothes and breath smell bad, which can push people away. Plus, it’s hard to run and play when lungs are full of smoke.

So, why do we let this enemy into our lives? The truth is, it’s not easy to say no to smoking, especially when friends do it. But it’s not impossible. We can make better choices. We can choose health, savings, a clean environment, and strong relationships over a harmful habit.

So, let’s say no to smoking – for us, for those around us, and for our world. It’s a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction. And remember, every journey starts with a single step.

Also check:

10-lines on Smoking

2-minute Speech on Smoking

We are gathered here to talk about something we see every day. Do you see people blowing smoke from their mouths? Yes, we are here to talk about smoking.

Smoking is when people breathe in the smoke of burning tobacco in cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. It’s like breathing in poison, because tobacco smoke is full of harmful things. It has over 7,000 chemicals, and many of them can hurt our bodies. 70 of these chemicals can even cause cancer. Just imagine, a small cigarette stick holds such a dangerous cocktail!

Now, let’s talk about what happens to our bodies when we smoke. Our lungs are like sponges that soak up air, but when we smoke, they soak up smoke instead. This smoke can damage our lungs and make it hard for us to breathe. It also affects our hearts by making them work harder and faster, which is not good at all. Over time, smoking can cause serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, and various types of cancer.

Smoking doesn’t just affect the person who smokes. You know when you’re around someone who’s smoking, and you can smell the smoke? That’s called secondhand smoke, and it can hurt you too. Even if you don’t smoke, you can still get sick from other people’s smoke. It’s like if someone else eats a bad apple, but you get a stomach ache. It’s not fair, right?

So, if smoking is so bad, why do people do it? Many people start smoking because they think it’s cool or because their friends do it. Some people think it helps them relax or deal with stress. But the truth is, smoking doesn’t solve problems; it creates more. The nicotine in cigarettes is addictive, which means once people start smoking, it’s very hard for them to stop.

But here’s the good news: it’s never too late to quit smoking. If you stop smoking, your body begins to heal. After just 20 minutes, your heart rate drops. After 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. After a year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

So, let’s spread the word and help people understand the real picture of smoking. It’s not cool, it’s not safe, it’s simply harmful. And remember, it’s never too late to quit. Thank you.

Speech on European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism
Speech on Smart phone
Speech on Smart Work

We also have speeches on more interesting topics that you may want to explore.

Smoking Informative Speech

Categories: Smoking Smoking Ban

About this sample

Words: 567 |

Published: Mar 20, 2024

Words: 567 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Health risks of smoking, economic burden of smoking, resources for quitting smoking.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

Expert in: Nursing & Health Law, Crime & Punishment

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 563 words

1 pages / 587 words

1 pages / 595 words

4 pages / 2011 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Smoking Ban

In the "should smoking be illegal argumentative" debate, one of the primary concerns is the well-known harmful effects of cigarettes on the human body. Many people are aware that smoking cigarettes is detrimental. Cigarettes [...]

Smoking has numerous health effects, both short-term and long-term. Some of the short-term effects include bad breath, yellow teeth, and decreased sense of taste and smell. The long-term effects, however, are much more severe. [...]

Smoking has been a prevalent issue in society for decades, and despite the numerous health warnings and anti-smoking campaigns, it continues to be a significant public health concern. Anti-smoking quotes have been used as a [...]

As a middle schooler, my father warned me of the dangers of smoking. His incessant resistance to cigarette use began after he saw its deteriorating effects on my late grandmother. Both his warnings and her struggle to breathe [...]

For years there has been conflicting research whether smoking should be banned or not and it is a significant issue today. Many people have given up smoking while others still continue to smoke. Smoking is the inhalation and [...]

The process of development along with the expanding globalization and liberalization process has increased the number of consumer-related issues. Consumer protection has earned an important place in the political, economic and [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Essay on Smoking

500 words essay on smoking.

One of the most common problems we are facing in today’s world which is killing people is smoking. A lot of people pick up this habit because of stress , personal issues and more. In fact, some even begin showing it off. When someone smokes a cigarette, they not only hurt themselves but everyone around them. It has many ill-effects on the human body which we will go through in the essay on smoking.

Ill-Effects of Smoking

Tobacco can have a disastrous impact on our health. Nonetheless, people consume it daily for a long period of time till it’s too late. Nearly one billion people in the whole world smoke. It is a shocking figure as that 1 billion puts millions of people at risk along with themselves.

Cigarettes have a major impact on the lungs. Around a third of all cancer cases happen due to smoking. For instance, it can affect breathing and causes shortness of breath and coughing. Further, it also increases the risk of respiratory tract infection which ultimately reduces the quality of life.

In addition to these serious health consequences, smoking impacts the well-being of a person as well. It alters the sense of smell and taste. Further, it also reduces the ability to perform physical exercises.

It also hampers your physical appearances like giving yellow teeth and aged skin. You also get a greater risk of depression or anxiety . Smoking also affects our relationship with our family, friends and colleagues.

Most importantly, it is also an expensive habit. In other words, it entails heavy financial costs. Even though some people don’t have money to get by, they waste it on cigarettes because of their addiction.

How to Quit Smoking?

There are many ways through which one can quit smoking. The first one is preparing for the day when you will quit. It is not easy to quit a habit abruptly, so set a date to give yourself time to prepare mentally.

Further, you can also use NRTs for your nicotine dependence. They can reduce your craving and withdrawal symptoms. NRTs like skin patches, chewing gums, lozenges, nasal spray and inhalers can help greatly.

Moreover, you can also consider non-nicotine medications. They require a prescription so it is essential to talk to your doctor to get access to it. Most importantly, seek behavioural support. To tackle your dependence on nicotine, it is essential to get counselling services, self-materials or more to get through this phase.

One can also try alternative therapies if they want to try them. There is no harm in trying as long as you are determined to quit smoking. For instance, filters, smoking deterrents, e-cigarettes, acupuncture, cold laser therapy, yoga and more can work for some people.

Always remember that you cannot quit smoking instantly as it will be bad for you as well. Try cutting down on it and then slowly and steadily give it up altogether.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Smoking

Thus, if anyone is a slave to cigarettes, it is essential for them to understand that it is never too late to stop smoking. With the help and a good action plan, anyone can quit it for good. Moreover, the benefits will be evident within a few days of quitting.

FAQ of Essay on Smoking

Question 1: What are the effects of smoking?

Answer 1: Smoking has major effects like cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and more. It also increases the risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems with the immune system .

Question 2: Why should we avoid smoking?

Answer 2: We must avoid smoking as it can lengthen your life expectancy. Moreover, by not smoking, you decrease your risk of disease which includes lung cancer, throat cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

Travelling Essay
Picnic Essay
Our Country Essay
My Parents Essay
Essay on Favourite Personality
Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
Essay on Knowledge is Power
Essay on Gurpurab
Essay on My Favourite Season
Essay on Types of Sports

Download the App

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Publications
Account settings
Browse Titles

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (US) Office on Smoking and Health. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US); 2012.

Cover of Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General.

1 introduction, summary, and conclusions.

Introduction

Tobacco use is a global epidemic among young people. As with adults, it poses a serious health threat to youth and young adults in the United States and has significant implications for this nation’s public and economic health in the future ( Perry et al. 1994 ; Kessler 1995 ). The impact of cigarette smoking and other tobacco use on chronic disease, which accounts for 75% of American spending on health care ( Anderson 2010 ), is well-documented and undeniable. Although progress has been made since the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health in 1964 ( U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [USDHEW] 1964 ), nearly one in four high school seniors is a current smoker. Most young smokers become adult smokers. One-half of adult smokers die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases ( Fagerström 2002 ; Doll et al. 2004 ). Despite thousands of programs to reduce youth smoking and hundreds of thousands of media stories on the dangers of tobacco use, generation after generation continues to use these deadly products, and family after family continues to suffer the devastating consequences. Yet a robust science base exists on social, biological, and environmental factors that influence young people to use tobacco, the physiology of progression from experimentation to addiction, other health effects of tobacco use, the epidemiology of youth and young adult tobacco use, and evidence-based interventions that have proven effective at reducing both initiation and prevalence of tobacco use among young people. Those are precisely the issues examined in this report, which aims to support the application of this robust science base.

Nearly all tobacco use begins in childhood and adolescence ( U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS] 1994 ). In all, 88% of adult smokers who smoke daily report that they started smoking by the age of 18 years (see Chapter 3 , “The Epidemiology of Tobacco Use Among Young People in the United States and Worldwide”). This is a time in life of great vulnerability to social influences ( Steinberg 2004 ), such as those offered through the marketing of tobacco products and the modeling of smoking by attractive role models, as in movies ( Dalton et al. 2009 ), which have especially strong effects on the young. This is also a time in life of heightened sensitivity to normative influences: as tobacco use is less tolerated in public areas and there are fewer social or regular users of tobacco, use decreases among youth ( Alesci et al. 2003 ). And so, as we adults quit, we help protect our children.

Cigarettes are the only legal consumer products in the world that cause one-half of their long-term users to die prematurely ( Fagerström 2002 ; Doll et al. 2004 ). As this epidemic continues to take its toll in the United States, it is also increasing in low- and middle-income countries that are least able to afford the resulting health and economic consequences ( Peto and Lopez 2001 ; Reddy et al. 2006 ). It is past time to end this epidemic. To do so, primary prevention is required, for which our focus must be on youth and young adults. As noted in this report, we now have a set of proven tools and policies that can drastically lower youth initiation and use of tobacco products. Fully committing to using these tools and executing these policies consistently and aggressively is the most straight forward and effective to making future generations tobacco-free.

The 1994 Surgeon General’s Report

This Surgeon General’s report on tobacco is the second to focus solely on young people since these reports began in 1964. Its main purpose is to update the science of smoking among youth since the first comprehensive Surgeon General’s report on tobacco use by youth, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People , was published in 1994 ( USDHHS 1994 ). That report concluded that if young people can remain free of tobacco until 18 years of age, most will never start to smoke. The report documented the addiction process for young people and how the symptoms of addiction in youth are similar to those in adults. Tobacco was also presented as a gateway drug among young people, because its use generally precedes and increases the risk of using illicit drugs. Cigarette advertising and promotional activities were seen as a potent way to increase the risk of cigarette smoking among young people, while community-wide efforts were shown to have been successful in reducing tobacco use among youth. All of these conclusions remain important, relevant, and accurate, as documented in the current report, but there has been considerable research since 1994 that greatly expands our knowledge about tobacco use among youth, its prevention, and the dynamics of cessation among young people. Thus, there is a compelling need for the current report.

Tobacco Control Developments

Since 1994, multiple legal and scientific developments have altered the tobacco control environment and thus have affected smoking among youth. The states and the U.S. Department of Justice brought lawsuits against cigarette companies, with the result that many internal documents of the tobacco industry have been made public and have been analyzed and introduced into the science of tobacco control. Also, the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with the tobacco companies resulted in the elimination of billboard and transit advertising as well as print advertising that directly targeted underage youth and limitations on the use of brand sponsorships ( National Association of Attorneys General [NAAG] 1998 ). This settlement also created the American Legacy Foundation, which implemented a nationwide antismoking campaign targeting youth. In 2009, the U.S. Congress passed a law that gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products in order to promote the public’s health ( Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act 2009 ). Certain tobacco companies are now subject to regulations limiting their ability to market to young people. In addition, they have had to reimburse state governments (through agreements made with some states and the Master Settlement Agreement) for some health care costs. Due in part to these changes, there was a decrease in tobacco use among adults and among youth following the Master Settlement Agreement, which is documented in this current report.

Recent Surgeon General Reports Addressing Youth Issues

Other reports of the Surgeon General since 1994 have also included major conclusions that relate to tobacco use among youth ( Office of the Surgeon General 2010 ). In 1998, the report focused on tobacco use among U.S. racial/ethnic minority groups ( USDHHS 1998 ) and noted that cigarette smoking among Black and Hispanic youth increased in the 1990s following declines among all racial/ethnic groups in the 1980s; this was particularly notable among Black youth, and culturally appropriate interventions were suggested. In 2000, the report focused on reducing tobacco use ( USDHHS 2000b ). A major conclusion of that report was that school-based interventions, when implemented with community- and media-based activities, could reduce or postpone the onset of smoking among adolescents by 20–40%. That report also noted that effective regulation of tobacco advertising and promotional activities directed at young people would very likely reduce the prevalence and onset of smoking. In 2001, the Surgeon General’s report focused on women and smoking ( USDHHS 2001 ). Besides reinforcing much of what was discussed in earlier reports, this report documented that girls were more affected than boys by the desire to smoke for the purpose of weight control. Given the ongoing obesity epidemic ( Bonnie et al. 2007 ), the current report includes a more extensive review of research in this area.

The 2004 Surgeon General’s report on the health consequences of smoking ( USDHHS 2004 ) concluded that there is sufficient evidence to infer that a causal relationship exists between active smoking and (a) impaired lung growth during childhood and adolescence; (b) early onset of decline in lung function during late adolescence and early adulthood; (c) respiratory signs and symptoms in children and adolescents, including coughing, phlegm, wheezing, and dyspnea; and (d) asthma-related symptoms (e.g., wheezing) in childhood and adolescence. The 2004 Surgeon General’s report further provided evidence that cigarette smoking in young people is associated with the development of atherosclerosis.

The 2010 Surgeon General’s report on the biology of tobacco focused on the understanding of biological and behavioral mechanisms that might underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke ( USDHHS 2010 ). Although there are no specific conclusions in that report regarding adolescent addiction, it does describe evidence indicating that adolescents can become dependent at even low levels of consumption. Two studies ( Adriani et al. 2003 ; Schochet et al. 2005 ) referenced in that report suggest that because the adolescent brain is still developing, it may be more susceptible and receptive to nicotine than the adult brain.

Scientific Reviews

Since 1994, several scientific reviews related to one or more aspects of tobacco use among youth have been undertaken that also serve as a foundation for the current report. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) ( Lynch and Bonnie 1994 ) released Growing Up Tobacco Free: Preventing Nicotine Addiction in Children and Youths, a report that provided policy recommendations based on research to that date. In 1998, IOM provided a white paper, Taking Action to Reduce Tobacco Use, on strategies to reduce the increasing prevalence (at that time) of smoking among young people and adults. More recently, IOM ( Bonnie et al. 2007 ) released a comprehensive report entitled Ending the Tobacco Problem: A Blueprint for the Nation . Although that report covered multiple potential approaches to tobacco control, not just those focused on youth, it characterized the overarching goal of reducing smoking as involving three distinct steps: “reducing the rate of initiation of smoking among youth (IOM [ Lynch and Bonnie] 1994 ), reducing involuntary tobacco smoke exposure ( National Research Council 1986 ), and helping people quit smoking” (p. 3). Thus, reducing onset was seen as one of the primary goals of tobacco control.

As part of USDHHS continuing efforts to assess the health of the nation, prevent disease, and promote health, the department released, in 2000, Healthy People 2010 and, in 2010, Healthy People 2020 ( USDHHS 2000a , 2011 ). Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. For 3 decades, Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to encourage collaborations across sectors, guide individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of prevention activities. Each iteration of Healthy People serves as the nation’s disease prevention and health promotion roadmap for the decade. Both Healthy People 2010 and Healthy People 2020 highlight “Tobacco Use” as one of the nation’s “Leading Health Indicators,” feature “Tobacco Use” as one of its topic areas, and identify specific measurable tobacco-related objectives and targets for the nation to strive for. Healthy People 2010 and Healthy People 2020 provide tobacco objectives based on the most current science and detailed population-based data to drive action, assess tobacco use among young people, and identify racial and ethnic disparities. Additionally, many of the Healthy People 2010 and 2020 tobacco objectives address reductions of tobacco use among youth and target decreases in tobacco advertising in venues most often influencing young people. A complete list of the healthy people 2020 objectives can be found on their Web site ( USDHHS 2011 ).

In addition, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health has published monographs pertinent to the topic of tobacco use among youth. In 2001, NCI published Monograph 14, Changing Adolescent Smoking Prevalence , which reviewed data on smoking among youth in the 1990s, highlighted important statewide intervention programs, presented data on the influence of marketing by the tobacco industry and the pricing of cigarettes, and examined differences in smoking by racial/ethnic subgroup ( NCI 2001 ). In 2008, NCI published Monograph 19, The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use ( NCI 2008 ). Although young people were not the sole focus of this Monograph, the causal relationship between tobacco advertising and promotion and increased tobacco use, the impact on youth of depictions of smoking in movies, and the success of media campaigns in reducing youth tobacco use were highlighted as major conclusions of the report.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (2011) provides evidence-based recommendations about community preventive services, programs, and policies on a range of topics including tobacco use prevention and cessation ( Task Force on Community Preventive Services 2001 , 2005 ). Evidence reviews addressing interventions to reduce tobacco use initiation and restricting minors’ access to tobacco products were cited and used to inform the reviews in the current report. The Cochrane Collaboration (2010) has also substantially contributed to the review literature on youth and tobacco use by producing relevant systematic assessments of health-related programs and interventions. Relevant to this Surgeon General’s report are Cochrane reviews on interventions using mass media ( Sowden 1998 ), community interventions to prevent smoking ( Sowden and Stead 2003 ), the effects of advertising and promotional activities on smoking among youth ( Lovato et al. 2003 , 2011 ), preventing tobacco sales to minors ( Stead and Lancaster 2005 ), school-based programs ( Thomas and Perara 2006 ), programs for young people to quit using tobacco ( Grimshaw and Stanton 2006 ), and family programs for preventing smoking by youth ( Thomas et al. 2007 ). These reviews have been cited throughout the current report when appropriate.

In summary, substantial new research has added to our knowledge and understanding of tobacco use and control as it relates to youth since the 1994 Surgeon General’s report, including updates and new data in subsequent Surgeon General’s reports, in IOM reports, in NCI Monographs, and in Cochrane Collaboration reviews, in addition to hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, policy reports, and systematic reviews. Although this report is a follow-up to the 1994 report, other important reviews have been undertaken in the past 18 years and have served to fill the gap during an especially active and important time in research on tobacco control among youth.

Focus of the Report

Young People

This report focuses on “young people.” In general, work was reviewed on the health consequences, epidemiology, etiology, reduction, and prevention of tobacco use for those in the young adolescent (11–14 years of age), adolescent (15–17 years of age), and young adult (18–25 years of age) age groups. When possible, an effort was made to be specific about the age group to which a particular analysis, study, or conclusion applies. Because hundreds of articles, books, and reports were reviewed, however, there are, unavoidably, inconsistencies in the terminology used. “Adolescents,” “children,” and “youth” are used mostly interchangeably throughout this report. In general, this group encompasses those 11–17 years of age, although “children” is a more general term that will include those younger than 11 years of age. Generally, those who are 18–25 years old are considered young adults (even though, developmentally, the period between 18–20 years of age is often labeled late adolescence), and those 26 years of age or older are considered adults.

In addition, it is important to note that the report is concerned with active smoking or use of smokeless tobacco on the part of the young person. The report does not consider young people’s exposure to secondhand smoke, also referred to as involuntary or passive smoking, which was discussed in the 2006 report of the Surgeon General ( USDHHS 2006 ). Additionally, the report does not discuss research on children younger than 11 years old; there is very little evidence of tobacco use in the United States by children younger than 11 years of age, and although there may be some predictors of later tobacco use in those younger years, the research on active tobacco use among youth has been focused on those 11 years of age and older.

Tobacco Use

Although cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use in the United States, this report focuses on other forms as well, such as using smokeless tobacco (including chew and snuff) and smoking a product other than a cigarette, such as a pipe, cigar, or bidi (tobacco wrapped in tendu leaves). Because for young people the use of one form of tobacco has been associated with use of other tobacco products, it is particularly important to monitor all forms of tobacco use in this age group. The term “tobacco use” in this report indicates use of any tobacco product. When the word “smoking” is used alone, it refers to cigarette smoking.

Organization of the Report

This chapter begins by providing a short synopsis of other reports that have addressed smoking among youth and, after listing the major conclusions of this report, will end by presenting conclusions specific to each chapter. Chapter 2 of this report (“The Health Consequences of Tobacco Use Among Young People”) focuses on the diseases caused by early tobacco use, the addiction process, the relation of body weight to smoking, respiratory and pulmonary problems associated with tobacco use, and cardiovascular effects. Chapter 3 (“The Epidemiology of Tobacco Use Among Young People in the United States and Worldwide”) provides recent and long-term cross-sectional and longitudinal data on cigarette smoking, use of smokeless tobacco, and the use of other tobacco products by young people, by racial/ethnic group and gender, primarily in the United States, but including some worldwide data as well. Chapter 4 (“Social, Environmental, Cognitive, and Genetic Influences on the Use of Tobacco Among Youth”) identifies the primary risk factors associated with tobacco use among youth at four levels, including the larger social and physical environments, smaller social groups, cognitive factors, and genetics and neurobiology. Chapter 5 (“The Tobacco Industry’s Influences on the Use of Tobacco Among Youth”) includes data on marketing expenditures for the tobacco industry over time and by category, the effects of cigarette advertising and promotional activities on young people’s smoking, the effects of price and packaging on use, the use of the Internet and movies to market tobacco products, and an evaluation of efforts by the tobacco industry to prevent tobacco use among young people. Chapter 6 (“Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use Among Young People”) provides evidence on the effectiveness of family-based, clinic-based, and school-based programs, mass media campaigns, regulatory and legislative approaches, increased cigarette prices, and community and statewide efforts in the fight against tobacco use among youth. Chapter 7 (“A Vision for Ending the Tobacco Epidemic”) points to next steps in preventing and reducing tobacco use among young people.

Preparation of the Report

This report of the Surgeon General was prepared by the Office on Smoking and Health (OSH), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USDHHS. In 2008, 18 external independent scientists reviewed the 1994 report and suggested areas to be added and updated. These scientists also suggested chapter editors and a senior scientific editor, who were contacted by OSH. Each chapter editor named external scientists who could contribute, and 33 content experts prepared draft sections. The draft sections were consolidated into chapters by the chapter editors and then reviewed by the senior scientific editor, with technical editing performed by CDC. The chapters were sent individually to 34 peer reviewers who are experts in the areas covered and who reviewed the chapters for scientific accuracy and comprehensiveness. The entire manuscript was then sent to more than 25 external senior scientists who reviewed the science of the entire document. After each review cycle, the drafts were revised by the chapter and senior scientific editor on the basis of the experts’ comments. Subsequently, the report was reviewed by various agencies within USDHHS. Publication lags prevent up-to-the-minute inclusion of all recently published articles and data, and so some more recent publications may not be cited in this report.

Evaluation of the Evidence

Since the first Surgeon General’s report in 1964 on smoking and health ( USDHEW 1964 ), major conclusions concerning the conditions and diseases caused by cigarette smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco have been based on explicit criteria for causal inference ( USDHHS 2004 ). Although a number of different criteria have been proposed for causal inference since the 1960s, this report focuses on the five commonly accepted criteria that were used in the original 1964 report and that are discussed in greater detail in the 2004 report on the health consequences of smoking ( USDHHS 2004 ). The five criteria refer to the examination of the association between two variables, such as a risk factor (e.g., smoking) and an outcome (e.g., lung cancer). Causal inference between these variables is based on (1) the consistency of the association across multiple studies; this is the persistent finding of an association in different persons, places, circumstances, and times; (2) the degree of the strength of association, that is, the magnitude and statistical significance of the association in multiple studies; (3) the specificity of the association to clearly demonstrate that tobacco use is robustly associated with the condition, even if tobacco use has multiple effects and multiple causes exist for the condition; (4) the temporal relationship of the association so that tobacco use precedes disease onset; and (5) the coherence of the association, that is, the argument that the association makes scientific sense, given data from other sources and understanding of biological and psychosocial mechanisms ( USDHHS 2004 ). Since the 2004 Surgeon General’s report, The Health Consequences of Smoking , a four-level hierarchy ( Table 1.1 ) has been used to assess the research data on associations discussed in these reports ( USDHHS 2004 ). In general, this assessment was done by the chapter editors and then reviewed as appropriate by peer reviewers, senior scientists, and the scientific editors. For a relationship to be considered sufficient to be characterized as causal, multiple studies over time provided evidence in support of each criteria.

Four-level hierarchy for classifying the strength of causal inferences based on available evidence.

When a causal association is presented in the chapter conclusions in this report, these four levels are used to describe the strength of the evidence of the association, from causal (1) to not causal (4). Within the report, other terms are used to discuss the evidence to date (i.e., mixed, limited, and equivocal evidence), which generally represent an inadequacy of data to inform a conclusion.

However, an assessment of a casual relationship is not utilized in presenting all of the report’s conclusions. The major conclusions are written to be important summary statements that are easily understood by those reading the report. Some conclusions, particularly those found in Chapter 3 (epidemiology), provide observations and data related to tobacco use among young people, and are generally not examinations of causal relationships. For those conclusions that are written using the hierarchy above, a careful and extensive review of the literature has been undertaken for this report, based on the accepted causal criteria ( USDHHS 2004 ). Evidence that was characterized as Level 1 or Level 2 was prioritized for inclusion as chapter conclusions.

In additional to causal inferences, statistical estimation and hypothesis testing of associations are presented. For example, confidence intervals have been added to the tables in the chapter on the epidemiology of youth tobacco use (see Chapter 3 ), and statistical testing has been conducted for that chapter when appropriate. The chapter on efforts to prevent tobacco use discusses the relative improvement in tobacco use rates when implementing one type of program (or policy) versus a control program. Statistical methods, including meta-analytic methods and longitudinal trajectory analyses, are also presented to ensure that the methods of evaluating data are up to date with the current cutting-edge research that has been reviewed. Regardless of the methods used to assess significance, the five causal criteria discussed above were applied in developing the conclusions of each chapter and the report.

Major Conclusions
Cigarette smoking by youth and young adults has immediate adverse health consequences, including addiction, and accelerates the development of chronic diseases across the full life course.
Prevention efforts must focus on both adolescents and young adults because among adults who become daily smokers, nearly all first use of cigarettes occurs by 18 years of age (88%), with 99% of first use by 26 years of age.
Advertising and promotional activities by tobacco companies have been shown to cause the onset and continuation of smoking among adolescents and young adults.
After years of steady progress, declines in the use of tobacco by youth and young adults have slowed for cigarette smoking and stalled for smokeless tobacco use.
Coordinated, multicomponent interventions that combine mass media campaigns, price increases including those that result from tax increases, school-based policies and programs, and statewide or community-wide changes in smoke-free policies and norms are effective in reducing the initiation, prevalence, and intensity of smoking among youth and young adults.
Chapter Conclusions

The following are the conclusions presented in the substantive chapters of this report.

Chapter 2. The Health Consequences of Tobacco Use Among Young People

The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between smoking and addiction to nicotine, beginning in adolescence and young adulthood.
The evidence is suggestive but not sufficient to conclude that smoking contributes to future use of marijuana and other illicit drugs.
The evidence is suggestive but not sufficient to conclude that smoking by adolescents and young adults is not associated with significant weight loss, contrary to young people’s beliefs.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between active smoking and both reduced lung function and impaired lung growth during childhood and adolescence.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between active smoking and wheezing severe enough to be diagnosed as asthma in susceptible child and adolescent populations.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between smoking in adolescence and young adulthood and early abdominal aortic atherosclerosis in young adults.
The evidence is suggestive but not sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between smoking in adolescence and young adulthood and coronary artery atherosclerosis in adulthood.

Chapter 3. The Epidemiology of Tobacco Use Among Young People in the United States and Worldwide

Among adults who become daily smokers, nearly all first use of cigarettes occurs by 18 years of age (88%), with 99% of first use by 26 years of age.
Almost one in four high school seniors is a current (in the past 30 days) cigarette smoker, compared with one in three young adults and one in five adults. About 1 in 10 high school senior males is a current smokeless tobacco user, and about 1 in 5 high school senior males is a current cigar smoker.
Among adolescents and young adults, cigarette smoking declined from the late 1990s, particularly after the Master Settlement Agreement in 1998. This decline has slowed in recent years, however.
Significant disparities in tobacco use remain among young people nationwide. The prevalence of cigarette smoking is highest among American Indians and Alaska Natives, followed by Whites and Hispanics, and then Asians and Blacks. The prevalence of cigarette smoking is also highest among lower socioeconomic status youth.
Use of smokeless tobacco and cigars declined in the late 1990s, but the declines appear to have stalled in the last 5 years. The latest data show the use of smokeless tobacco is increasing among White high school males, and cigar smoking may be increasing among Black high school females.
Concurrent use of multiple tobacco products is prevalent among youth. Among those who use tobacco, nearly one-third of high school females and more than one-half of high school males report using more than one tobacco product in the last 30 days.
Rates of tobacco use remain low among girls relative to boys in many developing countries, however, the gender gap between adolescent females and males is narrow in many countries around the globe.

Chapter 4. Social, Environmental, Cognitive, and Genetic Influences on the Use of Tobacco Among Youth

Given their developmental stage, adolescents and young adults are uniquely susceptible to social and environmental influences to use tobacco.
Socioeconomic factors and educational attainment influence the development of youth smoking behavior. The adolescents most likely to begin to use tobacco and progress to regular use are those who have lower academic achievement.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between peer group social influences and the initiation and maintenance of smoking behaviors during adolescence.
Affective processes play an important role in youth smoking behavior, with a strong association between youth smoking and negative affect.
The evidence is suggestive that tobacco use is a heritable trait, more so for regular use than for onset. The expression of genetic risk for smoking among young people may be moderated by small-group and larger social-environmental factors.

Chapter 5. The Tobacco Industry’s Influences on the Use of Tobacco Among Youth

In 2008, tobacco companies spent $9.94 billion on the marketing of cigarettes and $547 million on the marketing of smokeless tobacco. Spending on cigarette marketing is 48% higher than in 1998, the year of the Master Settlement Agreement. Expenditures for marketing smokeless tobacco are 277% higher than in 1998.
Tobacco company expenditures have become increasingly concentrated on marketing efforts that reduce the prices of targeted tobacco products. Such expenditures accounted for approximately 84% of cigarette marketing and more than 77% of the marketing of smokeless tobacco products in 2008.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between advertising and promotional efforts of the tobacco companies and the initiation and progression of tobacco use among young people.
The evidence is suggestive but not sufficient to conclude that tobacco companies have changed the packaging and design of their products in ways that have increased these products’ appeal to adolescents and young adults.
The tobacco companies’ activities and programs for the prevention of youth smoking have not demonstrated an impact on the initiation or prevalence of smoking among young people.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that there is a causal relationship between depictions of smoking in the movies and the initiation of smoking among young people.

Chapter 6. Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use Among Young People

The evidence is sufficient to conclude that mass media campaigns, comprehensive community programs, and comprehensive statewide tobacco control programs can prevent the initiation of tobacco use and reduce its prevalence among youth.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that increases in cigarette prices reduce the initiation, prevalence, and intensity of smoking among youth and young adults.
The evidence is sufficient to conclude that school-based programs with evidence of effectiveness, containing specific components, can produce at least short-term effects and reduce the prevalence of tobacco use among school-aged youth.
Adriani W, Spijker S, Deroche-Gamonet V, Laviola G, Le Moal M, Smit AB, Piazza PV. Evidence for enhanced neurobehavioral vulnerability to nicotine during peri-adolescence in rats. Journal of Neuroscience. 2003; 23 (11):4712–6. [ PMC free article : PMC6740776 ] [ PubMed : 12805310 ]
Alesci NL, Forster JL, Blaine T. Smoking visibility, perceived acceptability, and frequency in various locations among youth and adults. Preventive Medicine. 2003; 36 (3):272–81. [ PubMed : 12634018 ]
Anderson G. Chronic Care: Making the Case for Ongoing Care. Princeton (NJ): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; 2010. [accessed: November 30, 2011]. < http://www .rwjf.org/files /research/50968chronic .care.chartbook.pdf >.
Bonnie RJ, Stratton K, Wallace RB, editors. Ending the Tobacco Problem: A Blueprint for the Nation. Washington: National Academies Press; 2007.
Cochrane Collaboration. Home page. 2010. [accessed: November 30, 2010]. < http://www .cochrane.org/ >.
Community Preventive Services Task Force. First Annual Report to Congress and to Agencies Related to the Work of the Task Force. Community Preventive Services Task Force. 2011. [accessed: January 9, 2012]. < http://www .thecommunityguide .org/library /ARC2011/congress-report-full.pdf >.
Dalton MA, Beach ML, Adachi-Mejia AM, Longacre MR, Matzkin AL, Sargent JD, Heatherton TF, Titus-Ernstoff L. Early exposure to movie smoking predicts established smoking by older teens and young adults. Pediatrics. 2009; 123 (4):e551–e558. [ PMC free article : PMC2758519 ] [ PubMed : 19336346 ]
Doll R, Peto R, Boreham J, Sutherland I. Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years’ observations on male British doctors. BMJ (British Medical Journal). 2004; 32 :1519. [ PMC free article : PMC437139 ] [ PubMed : 15213107 ] [ CrossRef ]
Fagerström K. The epidemiology of smoking: health consequences and benefits of cessation. Drugs. 2002; 62 (Suppl 2):1–9. [ PubMed : 12109931 ]
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, Public Law 111-31, 123 U.S. Statutes at Large 1776 (2009)
Grimshaw G, Stanton A. Tobacco cessation interventions for young people. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006;(4):CD003289. [ PubMed : 17054164 ] [ CrossRef ]
Kessler DA. Nicotine addiction in young people. New England Journal of Medicine. 1995; 333 (3):186–9. [ PubMed : 7791824 ]
Lovato C, Linn G, Stead LF, Best A. Impact of tobacco advertising and promotion on increasing adolescent smoking behaviours. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2003;(4):CD003439. [ PubMed : 14583977 ] [ CrossRef ]
Lovato C, Watts A, Stead LF. Impact of tobacco advertising and promotion on increasing adolescent smoking behaviours. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2011;(10):CD003439. [ PMC free article : PMC7173757 ] [ PubMed : 21975739 ] [ CrossRef ]
Lynch BS, Bonnie RJ, editors. Growing Up Tobacco Free: Preventing Nicotine Addiction in Children and Youths. Washington: National Academies Press; 1994. [ PubMed : 25144107 ]
National Association of Attorneys General. Master Settlement Agreement. 1998. [accessed: June 9, 2011]. < http://www .naag.org/back-pages /naag/tobacco /msa/msa-pdf/MSA%20with %20Sig%20Pages%20and%20Exhibits .pdf/file_view >.
National Cancer Institute. Changing Adolescent Smoking Prevalence. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 2001. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph No. 14. NIH Publication. No. 02-5086.
National Cancer Institute. The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 2008. Tobacco Control Monograph No. 19. NIH Publication No. 07-6242.
National Research Council. Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Measuring Exposures and Assessing Health Effects. Washington: National Academy Press; 1986. [ PubMed : 25032469 ]
Office of the Surgeon General Reports of the Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service. 2010. [accessed: November 30, 2010]. < http://www .surgeongeneral .gov/library/reports/index.html >.
Perry CL, Eriksen M, Giovino G. Tobacco use: a pediatric epidemic [editorial] Tobacco Control. 1994; 3 (2):97–8.
Peto R, Lopez AD. Future worldwide health effects of current smoking patterns. In: Koop CE, Pearson CE, Schwarz MR, editors. Critical Issues in Global Health. San Francisco: Wiley (Jossey-Bass); 2001. pp. 154–61.
Reddy KS, Perry CL, Stigler MH, Arora M. Differences in tobacco use among young people in urban India by sex, socioeconomic status, age, and school grade: assessment of baseline survey data. Lancet. 2006; 367 (9510):589–94. [ PubMed : 16488802 ]
Schochet TL, Kelley AE, Landry CF. Differential expression of arc mRNA and other plasticity-related genes induced by nicotine in adolescent rat forebrain. Neuroscience. 2005; 135 (1):285–97. [ PMC free article : PMC1599838 ] [ PubMed : 16084664 ]
Sowden AJ. Mass media interventions for preventing smoking in young people. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 1998;(4):CD001006. [ PubMed : 10796581 ] [ CrossRef ]
Sowden AJ, Stead LF. Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2003;(1):CD001291. [ PubMed : 12535406 ] [ CrossRef ]
Stead LF, Lancaster T. Interventions for preventing tobacco sales to minors. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2005;(1):CD001497. [ PubMed : 15674880 ] [ CrossRef ]
Steinberg L. Risk taking in adolescence: what changes, and why? Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2004; 1021 :51–8. [ PubMed : 15251873 ]
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2001; 20 (2 Suppl):S10–S15. [ PubMed : 11173214 ]
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Tobacco. In: Zaza S, Briss PA, Harris KW, editors. The Guide to Preventive Services: What Works to Promote Health? New York: Oxford University Press; 2005. pp. 3–79. < http://www .thecommunityguide .org/tobacco/Tobacco.pdf >.
Thomas RE, Baker PRA, Lorenzetti D. Family-based programmes for preventing smoking by children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007;(1):CD004493. [ PubMed : 17253511 ] [ CrossRef ]
Thomas RE, Perera R. School-based programmes for preventing smoking. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006;(3):CD001293. [ PubMed : 16855966 ] [ CrossRef ]
US Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 1994.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco Use Among US Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups—African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 1998.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health. 2nd ed. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2000.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2000.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Women and Smoking A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General; 2001.
US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2004.
US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2006. [ PubMed : 20669524 ]
US Department of Health and Human Services. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease—The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Tobacco-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010. [ PubMed : 21452462 ]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy People 2020. 2011. [accessed: November 1, 2011]. < http://www .healthypeople .gov/2020/default.aspx >.
US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Washington: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control; 1964. PHS Publication No. 1103.
Cite this Page National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (US) Office on Smoking and Health. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US); 2012. 1, Introduction, Summary, and Conclusions.
PDF version of this title (18M)

In this Page

Other titles in these collections.

Reports of the Surgeon General
Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT)

Related information

PMC PubMed Central citations
PubMed Links to PubMed

Recent Activity

Introduction, Summary, and Conclusions - Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and ... Introduction, Summary, and Conclusions - Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

Connect with NLM

National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894

Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure

Help Accessibility Careers

SPE 1330: Effective Speaking Toggle navigation

Informative Speech Outline

Rocio Reyes Gomez

The Harmful Effects of Smoking (Concept- Topical)

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the two major harmful effects of smoking.

Central Idea: The two major effects of smoking are harmful effects on the fetus during pregnancy and can lead to second hand smoking to others.

Introduction

I. According to inforesearchlab.com/smokingdeaths, smoking will kill 6.5 million people in 2015. It also states that over 443,000 Americans die because of smoking every year.

II. Today, I want to inform everyone of the two major effects of smoking.

A. Since smoking is such a commonly done thing in many places, we should all know the effects of it in order to be healthy.

III. Since I’ve seen what the effects of smoking have done to people, I know that smoking can cause harmful effects that can sometimes kill you.

IV. The two major damaging effects of smoking are harmful effects on the fetus during pregnancy and can lead to second hand smoking to others.

Internal Preview: The first damaging effect of smoking is harmful effects on the fetus during pregnancy.

I. Harmful effects on the fetus include miscarriage, retardation, pre-term birth, fetal mortally-morbidity, post-partum infant death, lung disease, attention deficit, etc.

A. Since smoking is a health problem, it can cause cancer, and chronic diseases. It can cause harmful long, mid, and short term effects on the fetus.

II. Although there is evidence that smoking can cause these problems for the fetus it is still being done.

a. According to an article in 2009, in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Passive smoking, also known as enviornmental tabacco exposure, or second hand smoke, has been found to be as harmful as active smoking and can lead to unfavorable birth restrictions and early pregnancy loss.

b. According to a 2007 issue of Chattanooga Times Free press (Tennessee) a pregnant woman is the oxygen source for her developing fetus. The gases in the smoke replace oxygen from red blood cells. This is leaving her and the baby without a full oxygen supply. This does the baby no good.

i. Smoking anywhere in the house is considered smoke exposure to the pregnancy.

ii. Infants can also be exposed to smoking by breast feeding.

iii. Exposure to smoking also leads to a decrease in the weight, height, and head circumference of the baby.

Transition: Now that you know the harmful effects that smoking can have on the fetus, let’s look at how smoking can cause second hand smoking to others.

II. Second hand smoking could be very preventable if the person affected was not arround a smoker.

A. According to a 2011 article in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 1 in 5 United States adults reports smoking cigarettes.

I. Those 1 in 5 Americans are affecting others by causing second hand smoke.

a. According to a Pediatric Anesthesia, 2010 article, children of smoking parents had a higher chance of not having oxygen delivery to the tissue.

b. A 2011 article from Top News states that, ” Passive smoking is just as important and threatening to health as active smoking and for people under 16 they shouldnt be in enclosedx spaces with people who are smoking”.

Conclusion:

I. In conclusion, I hope that you are now more aware of the two major effects of smoking.

II. Smoking is a major problem in the U.S. and can lead to damaging effects on the fetus during pregnancy and can also cause second hand smoking to others.

-Annals of Internal Medicine; 6/7/2011, Vol 154 Issue 11, p 719-726, 8p, 3 charts, 1 graph

-http://www.inforesearchlab.com/smokindeaths.chtml.

-Internet Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics; 2008, Vol 9 Issue 2, p 5-5, 1p, 2 color photographs.

-Chattanooga Times Free Press( Tennessee), July 15,2007 Sunday

-Breastfeeding and smoking among low-income women: Results of a Longitudinal Qualitative Study, September2008.

-Health, Feb 2011, Vol. 28, Issue 11, By: Doukas Nancy. Wind Speaker.

-Pediatric Anesthisia; Jan2010, Vol 20, Issue 1, pg 82-89, 8p, 2 Charts, 1Graph

-The Smoking in Cars with Children Prohibition Act 2011 Will be in action from 2012 Topnews, October 21, 2011 Friday, 347 words.

Visit Course Site
Course Profile
Course Site
Announcements
File Library
Membership 71

Member Portfolios

AshleyA’s ePortfolio
Catarina’s ePortfolio
creunis’s ePortfolio
Jody R. Rosen’s ePortfolio
Kemar Johnson’s ePortfolio
Safiyyah’s ePortfolio
valentina’s ePortfolio

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events found.

Find Library Materials

Library information.

Ursula C. Schwerin Library New York City College of Technology, C.U.N.Y 300 Jay Street, Library Building - 4th Floor

The OpenLab at City Tech: A place to learn, work, and share

The OpenLab is an open-source, digital platform designed to support teaching and learning at City Tech (New York City College of Technology), and to promote student and faculty engagement in the intellectual and social life of the college community.

New York City College of Technology | City University of New York

Accessibility

Our goal is to make the OpenLab accessible for all users.

Learn more about accessibility on the OpenLab

Creative Commons

- Attribution
- NonCommercial
- ShareAlike

Toggle navigation

Substance-abuse
Introduction To Smoking

Introduction to Smoking

Ad Disclosure: Some of our MentalHelp.net recommendations, including BetterHelp, are also affiliates, and as such we may receive compensation from them if you choose to purchase products or services through the links provided

Like most people, you already know that smoking is bad for your health. But do you really understand just how dangerous smoking really is? Tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive drug that makes it difficult for smokers to kick the habit. Tobacco products also contain many poisonous and harmful substances that cause disease and premature death. Did you know that out of a group of 1000 smokers (age 30), that a full quarter of them (250!) will die of smoking-related illnesses prior to completing middle age, an additional quarter will die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses shortly after retirement age, and another large group will develop debilitating chronic illnesses as a result of their smoking? Most people don't know the odds of getting sick as a result of smoking are really that bad, but when you do the numbers, that is how they come out. For many people, truly understanding the very real dangers associated with smoking becomes the motivating factor that helps them to quit.

Although it can be a very difficult habit to break, smoking is ultimately a choice; it is your responsibility to choose whether or not you will continue to smoke. This article provides a brief synopsis of the risks associated with smoking; an overview of nicotine addiction, including why it is so difficult to give up smoking; and an outline of the advantages and disadvantages of quiting. Once you have decided to quit, you will benefit from the information in this article about the physiological, psychological, and behavioral aspects of nicotine addiction; the different methods available to help you quit; and the steps you can take to make the process easier. Learning about and understanding the many facets of the smoking habit can put you on the right track to successful smoking cessation.

Additional Resources

As advocates of mental health and wellness, we take great pride in educating our readers on the various online therapy providers available. MentalHelp has partnered with several thought leaders in the mental health and wellness space, so we can help you make informed decisions on your wellness journey. MentalHelp may receive marketing compensation from these companies should you choose to use their services.

BetterHelp Online Therapy - BetterHelp offers online therapy services from licensed professionals through an easy-to-use website and app. To get matched with a virtual therapist, complete a brief questionnaire online or start get started with a 20% off your first month today .

Talkspace Online Therapy & Psychiatry - Licensed therapists and psychiatrists are available for virtual sessions via Talkspace . From virtual counseling to medication management services, Talkspace online therapy may be covered by your insurance provider. Simply fill out a brief assessment online to save $100 and match with a licensed therapist today .

MentalHelp may receive marketing compensation from the above-listed companies should you choose to use their services.

Abused Drug Categories
Adderall Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Alcohol-Related Disorders
Ambien Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Ativan Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Bath Salts Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory Expanded: Schema Theory
Crack Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Dangers of Snorting Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Oxycontin and Other Painkillers
Drug-Induced Psychotic Symptoms
Ecstasy Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Effects of Combining Sedatives & Opiates
Effects of Mixing Many Painkillers
Group and Individual Therapy Formats for Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Heroin Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
History and Context of Substance Abuse
How Drugs Affect The Brain
Hydrocodone Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Ketamine Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Marijuana Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Meth Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Oxycodone Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Percocet Detox Symptoms, Timeline, Medications and Treatment
prescription-drugs
Psychotherapy Overview for Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Spice or K2 Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects & Help
The Connection Between Substance Abuse & Mental Illness
Tramadol Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Valium Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Vicodin Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Vyvanse Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Why Do People Get Hooked on Pills?
Xanax Addiction Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Help
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Mens Health
What Is Addiction?
Signs, Symptoms, & Effects Of Addiction
What Causes Addiction?
Mental Health, Dual-Diagnosis, & Behavioral Addictions
Addiction Treatment
Addiction Recovery
Information On Specific Drugs
Homosexuality And Bisexuality
Internet Addiction
Childhood Mental Disorders
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
Depression: Major Depression & Unipolar Varieties
Eating Disorders
Childhood Mental Disorders And Illnesses
Dissociative Disorders
Impulse Control Disorders
Internet Addiction And Media Issues
Intellectual Disabilities
Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Schizophrenia
Somatic Symptom And Related Disorders
Tourettes And Other Tic Disorders
Physical Mental Illness Flipbook
Suicide Rates Vector Map
Alzheimers Disease And Other Cognitive Disorders
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Colds And Flu
Crohns Disease / Irritable Bowel
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
Memory Problems
Men's Health
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Sleep Disorders
Women's Health
Anger Management
Mindfulness
Stress Reduction And Management
Weight Loss
Disabilities
Domestic Violence And Rape
Family & Relationship Issues
Grief & Bereavement Issues
Pain Management
Relationship Problems
Self Esteem
Terrorism & War
Health Insurance
Health Policy & Advocacy
Health Sciences
Mental Health Professions
Alternative Mental Health Medicine
Medications
Psychological Testing
Psychotherapy
Virtual Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment
Child Development And Parenting: Infants
Child Development And Parenting: Early Childhood
Sexuality & Sexual Problems
Homosexuality & Bisexuality
Aging & Geriatrics
Death & Dying
Physical Development: Motor Development
Vygotsky's Social Developmental Emphasis
Bullying & Peer Abuse
Family And Relationship Issues
Grief And Bereavement

All Publications
Priorities Magazine Spring 2018
The Next Plague and How Science Will Stop It
Priorities Magazine Winter 2018
Priorities Magazine Fall 2017
Little Black Book of Junk Science
Priorities Magazine Winter 2017
Should You Worry About Artificial Flavors Or Colors?
Should You Worry About Artificial Sweeteners?
Summer Health and Safety Tips
How Toxic Terrorists Scare You With Science Terms
Adult Immunization: The Need for Enhanced Utilization
Should You Worry About Salt?
Priorities Magazine Spring 2016
IARC Diesel Exhaust & Lung Cancer: An Analysis
Teflon and Human Health: Do the Charges Stick?
Helping Smokers Quit: The Science Behind Tobacco Harm Reduction
Irradiated Foods
Foods Are Not Cigarettes: Why Tobacco Lawsuits Are Not a Model for Obesity Lawsuits
The Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis: A Review
Are "Low Dose" Health Effects of Chemicals Real?
The Effects of Nicotine on Human Health
Traditional Holiday Dinner Replete with Natural Carcinogens - Even Organic Thanksgiving Dinners
A Primer On Dental Care: Quality and Quackery
Nuclear Energy and Health And the Benefits of Low-Dose Radiation Hormesis
Priorities in Caring for Your Children: A Primer for Parents
Endocrine Disrupters: A Scientific Perspective
Good Stories, Bad Science: A Guide for Journalists to the Health Claims of "Consumer Activist" Groups
A Comparison of the Health Effects of Alcohol Consumption and Tobacco Use in America
Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Health
Irradiated Foods Fifth Edition
Media/Contact
Write For Us

Does Compelling Graphic Warnings on Cigarettes Violate Freedom of Speech?

Latest from Barbara Pfeffer Billauer JD MA (Occ. Health) PhD :

IMAGES

Informative speech
Speech: Smoking
🎉 Persuasive smoking speech. Tobacco Smoking: Free Formal Persuasive
Speech on smoking
Speech Smoking
Informative Speech on Smoking

VIDEO

CDC: Tips From Former Smokers
Informative Speech ( smoking )
Persuasive Speech about smoking
persuasive speech (stop smoking)
essay on smoking in english/dhumrapan per nibandh
Isabel Oakeshott: "I Really Like The Smoking Ban, It's Disgusting"

COMMENTS

Speech on Smoking
Speech on Smoking. Smoking is a habit that involves burning a substance and inhaling the resulting smoke. You might know it's mostly associated with tobacco, which people consume in cigarettes or pipes. The smoke from these products carries thousands of chemicals, including nicotine, which is highly addictive.
Smoking Informative Speech
882 Words4 Pages. Smoking has been a long time habit round the world. However, in the past, smoking cigarette was very popular and known to be a cool recreational drug, and was widely accepted by the community across the world. Today smoking has been less widely accepted and more restricted because of the many health risks that are linked to ...
Smoking Informative Speech: [Essay Example], 567 words
Smoking is a prevalent habit that has been around for centuries, but it is important to understand the harmful effects it has on our health and well-being. In this informative speech, I will discuss the health risks associated with smoking, the economic burden it places on society, and the resources available for those looking to quit.
Informative Speech : Effects Of Smoking
The health effects of smoking are frightfully damaging and in many cases, deadly. The chemicals in tobacco smoke are breathed in into the lungs and then travel throughout the body. (Internal Summary/Transition: Moreover, smoking is not only bad for your health, but also the health of the people around you.) II. Main Idea 2.
Essay on Smoking in English for Students
500 Words Essay On Smoking. One of the most common problems we are facing in today's world which is killing people is smoking. A lot of people pick up this habit because of stress, personal issues and more. In fact, some even begin showing it off. When someone smokes a cigarette, they not only hurt themselves but everyone around them.
1 Introduction, Summary, and Conclusions
Tobacco use is a global epidemic among young people. As with adults, it poses a serious health threat to youth and young adults in the United States and has significant implications for this nation's public and economic health in the future (Perry et al. 1994; Kessler 1995). The impact of cigarette smoking and other tobacco use on chronic disease, which accounts for 75% of American spending ...
City Tech OpenLab
Informative Speech Outline. The Harmful Effects of Smoking (Concept- Topical) ... Smoking is a major problem in the U.S. and can lead to damaging effects on the fetus during pregnancy and can also cause second hand smoking to others. Sources:-Annals of Internal Medicine; 6/7/2011, Vol 154 Issue 11, p 719-726, 8p, 3 charts, 1 graph ...
Introduction To Smoking
Introduction to Smoking. Like most people, you already know that smoking is bad for your health. But do you really understand just how dangerous smoking really is? Tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive drug that makes it difficult for smokers to kick the habit. Tobacco products also contain many poisonous and harmful substances that ...
Informative Speech on Smoking
Smoking Persuasive Speech It is estimated that 36.5 million adults smoke in the United States of America (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention B). A cigarette contains 7,000 chemicals and 70 of those can cause cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention B).
Smoking Informative Speech Outline
Smoking Informative Speech Outline. 807 Words4 Pages. Introduction Attention Getter: When inhaling Nicotine, it can reach the brain within 10 seconds after the smoke is inhaled. It has been found in every part of the body, even in breast milk. PSYCHOLOGICAL ORIENTATION: According to CDC, which is the center for disease control and prevention ...
Smoking Informative Speech Outline
Smoking Informative Speech Outline. Satisfactory Essays. 315 Words. 2 Pages. Open Document. SMOKING. I. Introduction. There is a lot of documentation that smoking cigarettes is bad for you. In fact, in 1964, the Surgeon General, Luther L. Terry, MD. put out a report that says that cigarette smoking is bad for your health.
Smoking Informative Speech
Smoking Informative Speech 882 Words | 4 Pages. Smoking causes close to 40% of cancer death in the US. Each year, cigarettes kill about 500,000 deaths in the US and about 6 million deaths around the world. Cigarettes are the reason for most of the deaths in our society today that is not a death by a natural cause. Even though smoking has been ...
Informative Speech Outline
Informative Speech Outline: Topic: Why smoking is bad for you Target Audience: Current smokers, possible smokers, tempted youth General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the dangers of smoking, health risks and hazards it poses, and the life-threatening consequences Thesis: Smoking is a rapidly growing trend that produces harmful effects on the individual, their ...
Informative Speech
Informative Speech - Smoking. According to a study made by Centers for Disease Control in 2011 more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined. Last year Centers for Disease Control also reported that 1213 people in the United ...
Informative Speech
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Topic: The Harmful Effects of Smoking (Concept- Topical), Thesis: Smoking is no longer the cool or hip thing to do in life. Success matters a lot for those who want to get the best jobs, and make the most of themselves and their future., Introduction- I. According to ...
SMOKING: INFORMATIVE SPEECH
About: Informative Speech video about Smoking#smoking #nosmoking #behealthy #stayhealthy
Informative Speech On Smoking
Informative Speech : Effects Of Smoking. Attention getter: According to Tobacco-Free Kids, "about 400,000 people die from their own smoking each year, and about 50,000 die from second-hand smoke annually. Smoking kills more people than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and. 816 Words;
Smoking Informative Speech
Cancer is a deadly incurable disease. If you smoke you have a 9 out of 10 chance of death. Tobacco is very expensive, an average pack of cigarettes is $5.00. Some people say that smoking is fine but we know the truth. People that smoke have a high chance of getting cancer. Cancer is a deadly incurable disease that affects many parts of the body ...
My Informative Speech "Danger of Smoking"
My Informative Speech2 - Free download as Powerpoint Presentation (.ppt / .pptx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or view presentation slides online. Smoking is very dangerous to health, families, society, environment, and the economy. It contains over 700 chemicals, including 43 carcinogens. Smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby by reducing breastmilk supply and exposing the baby to ...
Speech About Smoking
Smoking Informative Speech 882 Words | 4 Pages. Smoking has been a long time habit round the world. However, in the past, smoking cigarette was very popular and known to be a cool recreational drug, and was widely accepted by the community across the world. Today smoking has been less widely accepted and more restricted because of the many ...
Informative Speech on Smoking
Informative Speech on Smoking. Smoking is regarded as a fashion symbol in young boys. Despite the ill effects of smoking, people still continue to smoke. Many young boys, who start smoking, feel that they look broadminded and liberated if they smoke. Most often, teenagers adopt this habit just because of the company they enjoy.
Does Compelling Graphic Warnings on Cigarettes Violate Freedom of Speech?
WARNING: Smoking during pregnancy can harm your baby. WARNING: Smoking can kill you. WARNING: Tobacco smoke causes fatal lung disease in nonsmokers. WARNING: Quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risks to your health. But increasing text and font size wasn't enough—Congress also wanted graphic images to accompany these textual warnings.
Informative Speech: Smoking
Document (1) - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. The third document is about the benefits of the K-12