- Tobacco Facts
- In today’s society, there are myriads of social issues that affect our community. Tobacco is only one of these problems. Initially it may seem to be a rather small problem compared to many other societal ills.
- Tobacco use is the single most preventable health problem facing us today, not only in Indiana, but also nationally, and internationally.
- Tobacco kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined!
- 438,000 tobacco-related deaths annually in the U.S.
- 10,300 are Hoosiers
- 274 are citizens of Porter County, Indiana
- approximately 60 are from Portage and 49 from Valparaiso
- Indiana has the 2nd highest smoking rate in the U.S.
- Approximately 37% of Indiana high school student and 15% of middle school students use tobacco
- If current trends continue, 167,000 Indiana youth under the age of 18 will die from tobacco use.
- Estimated that 22.7 million packs of cigarettes are sold each year to underage smokers in Indiana, adding to the increasing number of youth smokers.
- Tobacco use promotes and/or exacerbates asthma, HIV, and diabetes.
- Effects of short term use of tobacco’s include shortness of breath, cancer of the mouth, yellow fingers and nails, wrinkles, reduced circulation, and an increase in illnesses.
- Tobacco use causes
- 8 different types of cancer
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Emphysema
- Bronchitis
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
