• Nicotine is a substance found in tobacco. It is found in all tobacco products such as: cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and cigars.
• When a person smokes a tobacco product, they inhale the smoke which contains nicotine as well as over 500 chemicals.
• Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes addiction. When a user is addicted to nicotine, they feel as if they need nicotine in order to function normally.
• The smoke from tobacco also contains tar which is damaging to the mouth, throat, and lungs.
• Nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds after intake.
• Nicotine is a stimulant to the brain and the central nervous system.

Immediate effects:

• increase in blood pressure
• increase in heart rate
• thickening of blood
• narrowing of arteries
• decrease in skin temperature
• increase in respiration
• stimulation of the central nervous system
• vomiting
• diarrhea

• high blood pressure
• blockage of blood vessels
• depletion of vitamin C
• reduction in the effectiveness of the immune system
• cancer of the mouth, throat, and lungs
• cancer of the upper respiratory tract
• bronchitis and/or emphysema
• stomach ulcers
• weight loss
• dryness and wrinkling of the skin
• production of abnormal sperm in males

• low birth weight
• premature birth
• greater occurrence of miscarriage and stillbirth
• impairment of mental development
• impairment of physical development
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• baby has a greater likelihood of being hyperactive

• drop in pulse rate
• drop in blood pressure
• disturbance of sleep
• slower reactions
• tension
• restlessness
• depression
• irritability
• constipation
• difficulty in concentration
• craving for tobacco