Anatomy Of A Cigarette

Unfortunately, the very people who sell cigarettes areconsequences of smoking, cigarette manufacturers will
not immune to its ill effects. Wayne McLaren, thenot be pleased. Likely they will take their advertising
rugged rodeo rider and Hollywood actor who for(money) elsewhere. What is the answer? For many
years invited people to "come to where the flavor is",magazines it has been to take the money and
died due to smoking.'overlook' the health consequences of smoking,"
The Marlboro Man, who smoked a pack-and-a-half ofrevealed Dr. Robert L. Taylor in "Health Fact, Health
cigarettes daily for 25 years, proved to be no matchFiction."
to lung cancer which he contracted from smoking. HisWhat makes a cigarette dangerous? In addition to
last words were "Smoking is just not worth it."nicotine, a fast acting chemical compound, a burning
A third reason why smoking is popular is because oftobacco contains about 3,999 other chemicals which
the money it generates. Tobacco is a cash crop inare bad to both smokers and nonsmokers. What are
many developing countries and some governments stillthese chemicals and how do they affect your health?
feel the need to cultivate this crop without realizing thatNicotine is one of the most powerful poisons known.
more money will eventually be lost in the form ofThis highly addictive drug was named after the French
tobacco-related diseases and deaths. At any rate, byambassador Jacques Nicot who introduced smoking
convincing people to smoke, tobacco manufacturersto France. Nicot's legacy, however, continues to exert
make a lot of money at the expense of the public.a devastating effect on users.
Tobacco advertisements are also the lifeblood ofThis is not surprising since this colorless liquid has been
several newspapers and magazines. For the publishersused as an insecticide and to kill worms in animals. As
and editors of the magazines concerned, it is moreLawrence A Young, Linda G. Young, Marjorie M. Klein,
"practical" and profitable to accept revenues fromDonald M. Klein, and Dorianne Beyer pointed out in
cigarette advertising rather than alert the public to the"Recreational Drugs":
dangers of smoking."Cigarette tobacco contains about 1.5 percent nicotine;
"Cigarettes are a serious health hazard we all know.the smoke from an average cigarette yields about six
They are also one of the most heavily advertisedto eight milligrams of the drug. Cigars contain
products. These two facts create a serious conflict forappreciably more nicotine, averaging 120 milligrams
various publications that provide health coverage. Theeach, twice the amount needed to kill a normal human
revenues from cigarette advertising are a sizable partadult if he chose to eat it." (Next: Other poisons in
of their income. If their coverage includes the negativecigarettes.