Tobacco
Scope of Problem:
Tobacco has long been the second most widely used drug, but recent decreases in the
percent of youth using tobacco have dropped the number of youth using tobacco to near the
number that use marijuana. In 2006, past month use of tobacco was reported by 2.1% of
Illinois 6th grade youths, 9.3% of
Illinois 8th grade youths, 16.0% of Illinois 10th grade youths, and 31.0% of
Illinois 12th grade youths.
Most young tobacco users also use alcohol and/or marijuana: less than 6% of youths use
only tobacco.
Greatest Dangers:
- Youth can become addicted to the nicotine in tobacco in a matter of a few weeks.
- Smoking can lead to a number of serious and potentially fatal diseases, with lung
cancer, heart disease, and other lung diseases respectively taking the most lives. On the
average, smokers lose between 13 and 14.5 years of life due to such diseases caused by
smoking.
- Smoking during pregnancy causes approximately 1000 infant deaths a year, and is a risk
factor for low birth-weight babies.
- Chewing tobacco can cause sores and bleeding in the mouth, and can lead to oral cancer.
- Second-hand smoke in homes sickens millions of children and leads to approximately 280
child deaths annually from respiratory illness.
- Smoking heightens risk for house fires, and approximately 300 children annually
suffer injuries from smoking-caused fires.
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