What is Tobacco?

Tobacco is a plant growing on the American continent since about 6000 BC and began being used by native cultures at about 3000 BC. This agricultural product is smoked (often in the form of a cigarette or cigar, or in a water pipe, stem pipe or hookah), chewed (placed between the cheek and gum) or sniffed (into the nose as finely powdered snuff). Tobacco contains the chemical nicotine, over 19 known cancer-causing chemicals and more than 4,000 other chemicals. These include ammonia, acetone, cyanide, carbon monoxide, propane, methane and butane.

In the United States over 38 million people have successfully quit smoking. But unfortunately, there are around 50 million Americans who smoke. The majority of them say they would like to give up.

The number of smokeless tobacco users has persistently risen while the number of cigarette smokers in the United States has decreased for the last years. This happens because of the false belief that smokeless tobacco is safe. It is NOT! Smokeless tobacco has a lot of the same health risks as cigarettes. Some people who want to give up smoking, but who still want the nicotine, turn to smokeless tobacco unfairly thinking that they are doing something good for their health.

In conclusion of this article, tobacco is extremely addictive. It influences mood and behavior altering. Tobacco is considered that causes dependence comparable to morphine, alcohol and cocaine in it.