Nicotine is an addictive drug found naturally in tobacco. Other chemicals in tobacco plants may come from fertilizers or insecticides used in the growing process or from contaminants in air, soil, or water. Some chemicals are added when tobacco is cured; others are added in the manufacturing process.

Hundreds of ingredients are used in manufacturing cigarettes to make them more acceptable to the consumer. Additives make cigarettes milder and easier to inhale, improve taste, prolong burning, and increase shelf life. Laboratory analyses have shown that tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals.

The World Health Organisation Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2009: Implementing smoke-free environments is the second in a series that tracks the status of the tobacco epidemic and the impact of the interventions that are being implemented to stop it.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the evidence base for protecting people from the harms of second-hand tobacco smoke through legislation and enforcement. There is a special focus on the status of implementation of smoke-free policies, with detailed data collected for the first time ever on a global basis at both the national level and for large subnational jurisdictions.

Winning the Fight Against Tobacco

The CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  - Your Online Source for Credible Health Information edition of Pathways to Freedom addresses issues specific to African Americans, such as targeted advertising campaigns and historical, cultural, and socioeconomic influences. It also offers

• Proven strategies for anyone who wants to quit
• How friends and family can help
• How the community and its leaders can promote the value of gaining freedom from tobacco

Pathways to Freedom was produced in partnership with key segments of the African-American community, including churches, service organizations, and educational institutions.

Go now to: Smoking and Tobacco Use :: How to Quit Smoking :: Pathways to Freedom :: Office on Smoking and
Health (OSH) :: CDC

Making Sense of the Evidence

Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects Report, reviews available scientific literature to assess the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and acute coronary events.

Findings in the report indicate that there is about a 25 to 30 percent increase in the risk of coronary heart disease from exposure to secondhand smoke. These findings agree with the 2006 Surgeon General's Report conclusion that there are increased risks of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality among men and women exposed to secondhand smoke.

Go now to: Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: Making Sense of the Evidence

Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, which is the invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells. Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and women, is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide annually. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, coughing (including coughing up blood), and weight loss.

The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. This distinction is important, because the treatment varies; non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is sometimes treated with surgery, while small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) usually responds better to chemotherapy and radiation. The most common cause of lung cancer is long-term exposure to tobacco smoke. The occurrence of lung cancer in nonsmokers, who account for as many as 15% of cases, is often attributed to a combination of genetic factors, radon gas, asbestos, and air pollution, including secondhand smoke.