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Tobacco
Cigarettes: Quit for life
Pam did, until she got sick. She died from a disease caused by smoking.
Pam began smoking at age nine. At first, cigarettes made her feel sick. But she continued until she got used to it.
Pam shunned the life of the "good girl." "I would do anything to have that 'bad girl' image," she said. "Anything" included smoking.
At age 21, Pam developed what her doctor told her was a smoking-related disease: chronic bronchitis. "I was having trouble taking groceries up the stairs," she says. " I figured I wasn't a kid anymore," se says. "I really believed that my age that was causing my health problems."
Her illness progressed from chronic bronchitis to emphysema in just a few years. "When I was 24, I had what I thought was a severe asthma attack," Pam says. "I went to the hospital." That's when she was first diagnosed with emphysema."
Emphysema is a disease that causes the lungs to lose their strength. That makes breathing difficult.
The doctor warned Pam: if she didn't quit smoking, she would be dead at 30. At 30 Pam told herself, the oldest of her two daughters would only be 13. "That's about the time kids need their parents the most," Pam says. Continuing to smoke seemed selfish, so she quit.
But smoking had already done a lot of damage. To live, she needed a lung transplant. Her body eventually even rejected the donor lung. Pam was confined to a wheelchair and in constant pain. She could no longer care for herself or her children.
In the end, Pam knew she had lost everything - youth, independence, and future. "I feel so sad when I see kids smoking," she said. "I know they think they're being really cool and that they're more appealing than they really are."
Pam died at age 31. Her daughters live with their aunt. They miss their mom.
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Do you think smoking is cool?
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Pam, 08
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Pam, 21
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Pam, 30
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Pam, 31
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It's A Fact.
Cigarettes contain formaldehyde, the same stuff used to preserve dead frogs. 1
Cigarettes contain nicotine, a potent insecticide found in bug spray.1
More than 5 million young people under the age of 18 who are currently alive will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. 2
Cigarette products are among the most heavily advertised and promoted products in the United States. In 1994, tobacco companies spent an estimated $5 billion or more than $13 million a day - to advertise and promote cigarettes. 3
A national survey found that about 86 percent of adolescent smokers who bought their own cigarettes preferred Marlboro, Camel, or Newport cigarettes - the most heavily advertised brands. In contrast, only 35 percent of adults chose these brands. 4
Teen smoking is often an early warning sign of future problems. Teens who smoke are three times as likely as nonsmokers to use alcohol, eight times as likely to use marijuana, and 22 times as likely to use cocaine. Smoking is also associated with numerous other high-risk behaviors, including fighting and having unprotected sex. 5
Dealing With It.
When you decide to quit, tell your friends and family. Ask for their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or offer you cigarettes.
Remind yourself that smoking makes you stink.
Remind yourself "I am a non-smoker!"
Remind yourself of how much money you will save by not smoking.
Chew gum or eat low calorie foods like carrots, celery or suck on cinnamon sticks.
Exercise.
Remind yourself often that you can do it!
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1., 2., 4., 5. CDC
3. FTC
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