The reality of the harms of usage

Addictiveness of nicotine. Dangers of flavored tobacco. Definition of cigarillos/little cigars.

Tobacco contains nicotine which is a highly addictive neurotoxin and exposure to nicotine, either in cigarettes or e-cigarettes, can harm brain development. Within 10 seconds of entering your body, the nicotine reaches your brain. It causes the brain to release adrenaline, creating a buzz of pleasure and energy.

Little cigars, or cigarillos, are the same size and shape of cigarettes, although they differ in that little cigars are wrapped in tobacco leaf, or paper containing tobacco. Little cigars contain the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarettes. In 2014, among middle and high school students who used cigars in the past 30 days, 63.5% reported using a flavored cigar during that time. - Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Marketing efforts promote cigars as symbols of a luxury and successful lifestyle. What promotional strategies contribute to the increased acceptability of cigar smoking?

Percentage of high school students who used flavored tobacco products or only nonflavored tobacco products during the preceding 30 days — National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2014

Nicotine in tobacco is more addictive than most illegal drugs. Smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States… more than HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, and firearm-related incidents COMBINED! For teen smokers, flavored tobacco is the preferred products of use – one of the main reasons for the popularity of e- cigarettes and vape pens. These products are also heavily marketed in places where youth frequent. Flavored tobacco products contain the same toxic and cancer- causing chemicals found in cigarettes.