Tobacco use negatively affects many areas of your health and the health of your loved ones. Check out the topics below to learn more about how tobacco products impact someone’s health, whether they use products themselves or are around others who use tobacco.
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Pregnancy
When someone is pregnant and uses tobacco products or is around others who smoke or vape, dangerous chemicals harm the mother and the developing baby.
Children
Children who are near tobacco may suffer negative health effects. This worksheet details how children can be impacted if they are around adults who use tobacco products.
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke/vapor is the smoke/vapor that someone breathes in when they are around a person who is smoking or vaping. Secondhand smoke/vapor contains many chemicals that are harmful to children, adults, and even pets.
Thirdhand Smoke
Thirdhand smoke is the smoke/vapor that sticks to the surfaces of everything in the room or car where someone has smoked or vaped. Harmful chemicals land on toys, walls, furniture, carpet, curtains, and clothes in that space. Thirdhand smoke is harmful to everyone, but it can be especially dangerous for young children who put objects in their mouths and whose lungs and brains are still developing.
Stress
Some people say they use tobacco products to help manage their stress. But tobacco use doesn’t make the stress go away, it only adds to their stress by causing health issues and added expenses.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic, or long-lasting, condition that makes it difficult to breathe. It can be caused by many things, such as dust or pollen and smoke/vapor. Being around someone who is smoking/vaping, also known as secondhand smoke/vapor, is the #1 cause of asthma attacks in children.
Smokeless Tobacco
Smokeless tobacco products, including nicotine pouches, contain harmful chemicals and are not safe. While smokeless tobacco products do not emit second or thirdhand smoke/vapor, it is still unsafe to use these products around children. There is a risk of nicotine poisoning if a young child ingests these products, so it is important for adults to keep all tobacco products out of children’s reach!
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