Some worrying facts
Nicotine addiction occurs very quickly when a person starts smoking; the symptoms appear with the first few cigarettes.
In Québec, most smokers start smoking before the age of 18 – in other words, at a time when the brain and body are still developing and are therefore more sensitive to the toxic substances in tobacco smoke.
Tobacco is an extremely dangerous consumer product that causes premature death for one user in every two.
According to the World Health Organization, one person dies of a tobacco-related illness every 6.5 seconds.
Approximately 85% of all chronic obstructive lung diseases, 30% of all cases of cardiovascular disease and 30% of all cancers (including 85% of lung cancers) are associated with tobacco use.
Kids in general underestimate the risks of becoming addicted to tobacco and the related threats to their health if they smoke, because tobacco is presented by the cigarette manufacturers as a socially acceptable product.
Some adults believe it is inevitable that kids will try tobacco, and sometimes go so far as to provide them with cigarettes. This can have serious consequences for health.
Approximately 70% of school-age children who try to stop smoking end up starting again.
Cigarillos are extremely popular among teens. However, they are just as harmful to health as cigarettes. They contain the same toxic, carcinogenic products as cigarettes, sometimes at higher concentrations.
Regular exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung disease by 25%, and the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%.