Health Hazards Caused By Tobacco Usage

Electronic Cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated products designed to deliver nicotine, flavor and other chemicals. They turn chemicals, including highly addictive nicotine, into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. Concerns have been raised by the FDA regarding the long term safety of these products, but few studies have been conducted. E-cigarettes are a tobacco product and are included in the college’s list of restricted products within the tobacco free policy.  

Smokeless Tobacco 

There are 2 basic forms of smokeless tobacco: chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco comes as long strands of loose leaves, plugs, or twists of tobacco and Snuff is finely ground tobacco packaged in cans or pouches. Smokeless tobacco delivers nicotine through and absorption method and although not as noticeable, cause harmful health effects which include mouth, tongue, cheek, gum, and throat cancer, cancer in the esophagus (the swallowing tube that goes from your mouth to your stomach), stomach cancer, or pancreatic cancer. 

Cigars

Cigars are tightly-rolled bundles of dried and fermented tobacco that are ignited and smoke is drawn into the mouth. Cigars actually predate the cigarette can equal the same amount of nicotine as found in entire pack of cigarettes. Although seen by some as a more sophisticated alternative, cigars can be twice as hazardous due to the amount of second hand smoke produced in one sitting.   

Pipes and Hookahs

Similar to cigarettes, hookah smoking delivers the addictive drug nicotine and it is at least as toxic as cigarette smoking. While many hookah smokers may consider this practice less harmful than smoking cigarettes, hookah smoking carries many of the same health risks as cigarettes.