Tobacco comes from the leaves of the tobacco plant. It contains a drug called nicotine which is highly addictive. It's nicotine that gives smokers their 'hit'.
Slang: Fags, rollies, smokes, ciggies
The effects
- Smoking any drug gets it to the brain quickly. When a smoker inhales, the nicotine reaches the brain in around 8 seconds. Regular smokers say it helps them relax and feel less hungry.
Chances of getting hooked
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. Smokers can get hooked very quickly and it can take years and a huge effort to kick the habit. Not many people are able to remain occasional smokers.
For friendly and practical advice on giving up smoking call the NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 0 169.
The law
It's illegal for shopkeepers to sell tobacco or tobacco products to anyone under 18.
Appearance and use
The leaves of the tobacco plant are dried then rubbed to produce a brown, flaky mixture. It can be bought loose as rolling tobacco or in ready-made cigarettes. Tobacco is most often smoked but some people chew it.
The cost depends on the scale of a smoker's habit. As a guide, smoking 20 a day for five years will cost £8000.
Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemicals. Many of them are known to do nasty things to the human body including causing cancer.
The risksTop
- Nicotine speeds up the heart rate and increases blood pressure.
- First time smokers often feel sick and dizzy.
- Smokers are more likely to get coughs and chest infections.
- Long-term addiction could leave you with cancer, emphysema (related to your lungs) or heart disease.
- Smoking has been linked to the amputation of 2,000 limbs a year.
- It's estimated smoking contributes to 120,000 premature deaths in the UK every year.
- Other people breathing in your smoke could end up with breathing difficulties, asthma or even cancer.