Nicotine.

Street Names - Fags, Cigs

Description
Nicotine is a stimulant drug that is the main ingredient derived from dried tobacco leaves.

How it is used
Nicotine-containing tobacco is usually smoked as cigarettes, cigars or pipe tobacco, or inhaled as snuff.

Effects
Nicotine increases heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic rate and can suppress appetite. Regular smokers often find smoking combats anxiety and stress, whilst first time smokers often feel sick, dizzy and suffer headaches.

Long term smoking increases the risks of a number of serious illnesses including lung and other cancers, heart diseases, bronchitis, bad circulation and ulcers. Women who smoke during pregnancy tend to give birth to babies of lower birth weight.

The risks:

A smoking habit can be difficult to stop. It's an addiction with a big impact on your cash flow and your health;
Smokers are at an increased risk from all kinds of condition, illness and disease - from coughs to cancer, heart and lung disease;
Breathing in other people's smoke can also cause health problems;
Limb amputation and premature death are often linked to long-term smoking habits.

The law:

You must be 16 or over for a shop to sell you tobacco - this was raised to 18 on 1 October, 2007;
It is illegal to smoke in public places, such as some town squares, and in all public buildings such as restaurants and bars/clubs;
Internationally, many places are introducing/have introduced public smoking bans, including the UK.

Risk Reduction:

Long-term health risks are best reduced by stopping smoking. If unable to stop smoking there may be some benefit in reducing the amount smoked or changing to a lower tar brand. Babies and children should be kept away from tobacco smoke.
Nobody can force you to steer clear of smoking. It's down to you to be aware of the facts, and that includes the risks involved.
Even if you do start smoking, it's never too late to stop. Quitting takes courage and willpower, but your body (and wallet) will thank you for it.

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