Tobacco


Slang
Ciggies, Durries, Smokes, Baccy, Tailors, Chop chop

How it is taken
Smoked in a cigarette, cigar or tobacco pipe
Chewed
Sucked from a mouth pouch (snus)
Sniffed (snuff)

Common effects

  • light-headedness or dizziness
  • shortness of breath
  • initial brain activity stimulation, which then reduces
  • raised blood pressure and heart rate

What it is
Tobacco refers to the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which is processed into cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff or snus. Tobacco contains nicotine, a poisonous alkaloid to which people can become addicted.

Tobacco is a highly-addictive drug and is known to cause more deaths in New Zealand than any other drug. Every year, 4700 people die from smoking-related causes.

At present, it is estimated that 1.1 billion people smoke worldwide, causing 4 million premature deaths every year. By 2030, it is estimated that tobacco is likely to kill 10 million people each year and to be the world's leading cause of death.

Cigarettes: dried tobacco rolled in paper. Smokers can buy pouches of roll-your-own tobacco or pre-made cigarettes, normally sold in packets of 20 or 25. A cigarette is lit at on end, with the smoker inhaling the smoke through the cigarette from the other end
Cigars: similar to cigarettes, cigars are often larger in size and made with dried and cured tobacco. The wrapping is made out of larger dried leaves of the tobacco plant.
Chewing tobacco: dried and/or cured tobacco which is chewed
Snuff: finely-ground or powdered tobacco, sniffed through the nose
Snus: moist powder that is often pre-packaged into small pouches, placed between the cheek and jaw

Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemical compounds, including cyanide, acetone, DDT, carbon monoxide and ammonia.

Short-term effects
Smoking tobacco is a dangerous activity that has negative short-term and long-term consequences. Some short-term effects include:

  • poor blood circulation and decreased circulation to fingers and toes
  • nausea and promotion of stomach acid (feeling of 'heartburn')
  • weakened appetite and sense of smell and taste
  • yellowing of the skin, and smoke stains on fingers and teeth
  • reduced fitness and susceptibility to colds and influenza
  • aggravation of stomach ulcers
  • poor dental hygiene.

Long-term effects
There is a demonstrable link between tobacco and cancer. Tobacco is responsible for over 4700 deaths in New Zealand every year, many due to cancer. Long-term effects of tobacco include:

  • lung cancer
  • emphysema
  • other cancers, including cancers of the skin, stomach, mouth, lips, throat, bladder, liver, cervix, kidney and pancreas; leukaemia
  • impotence in men and lower fertility in women (and earlier menopause)
  • premature aging and more wrinkles - smokers look older!
  • the risk of heart attack is increased by two to three times among smokers, compared to non-smokers
  • vascular disease, which can lead to amputations
  • increased risk of cardiovascular disease
  • osteoporosis among women.

Dependence, addiction and overdose risk
Nicotine is a drug with highly addictive properties. When tobacco is consumed, nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream and, over time, will create tolerance and dependence. Despite the well-documented harmful effects to the body, people still choose to smoke.

Nicotine acts on the brain's reward pathways - the brain circuits that regulate feelings of pleasure - within ten seconds of inhaling tobacco smoke. However, the pleasurable feeling dissipates within a few minutes, which cause the smoker to crave more 'dosing' to maintain the pleasurable feeling and prevent withdrawal.

Nicotine is a powerful neurotoxin, although the delivery mechanism of a cigarette moderates the amount of nicotine that is absorbed. It is highly unlikely that a person can overdose on tobacco.

The New Zealand context
Tobacco is the single largest cause of preventable death in New Zealand and is the second-most common recreational drug after alcohol.

People who die from smoking tobacco lose, on average, 14 years of life compared to non-smokers. Tobacco is the only known consumer product that kills half of its users, when used as the manufacturer directs.

New Zealand has initiated many legislative measures for tobacco control, including:

  • in 1990 the Smoke-free Environments Act was passed. Restrictions on indoor smoking at workplace were enacted, the age to purchase tobacco was made 16 years-old and tobacco marketing, advertising and sponsorship was restricted.
  • in 1995, tobacco advertising in shops was removed and all tobacco sponsorship ceased
  • in 1998, the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act raised the age of purchase to 18 years-old, banned the sale of cigarettes in packets less than 20 and reduced in-shop tobacco advertising and retail incentives
  • the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003 banned smoking in all licensed premises (for example, bars and restaurants) and all other indoor workplaces, coming into effect on 10 December 2004.

Statistics

  • smoking tobacco kills 4,700 New Zealanders each year
  • 1300 New Zealanders have untreatable blindness due to current or past smoking
  • 47 percent of teenagers had never smoked in 2004, up from 31.6 percent in 1999
  • almost half of all Māori are smokers (47 percent)
  • tobacco kills 600 Māori prematurely every year
  • The New Zealand smoking rate has remained steady over the past five years: 23.4 percent in 2004 compared with 24.9 percent in 2001
  • 12 cigarettes are smoked by the average smoker every day.

The law and penalties
Tobacco control in New Zealand is legislated under the provisions of the Smoke-free Environments Act and subsequent amendments. The Act governs where people cannot smoke and places restrictions on the trade of cigarettes, such as regulations around the sale, marketing and advertising of tobacco products.

Key points of the law include:

  • all indoor workplaces must be 100 percent Smokefree
  • there can be no smoking in indoor areas of licensed premises, such as bars, clubs, restaurants and gambling venues
  • all schools and early childhood centres must be completely smokefree indoor and outdoor, 24 hours, seven days per week
  • the sale of tobacco and tobacco-related products (including toy cigarettes) to people under 18 years-old is prohibited
  • consumer information and warnings about the health risks of tobacco must appear on tobacco packaging. By February 2008 the warnings must take up no less than 30 percent of tobacco packaging, in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, to which New Zealand is a signatory
  • vendors caught selling to under 18 year-olds can be ordered not to sell tobacco for up to three months
  • individual employers risk a fine of $400 for failing to take all reasonable steps to prevent someone from smoking indoors, increasing to a maximum of $4000 for bodies corporate

All forms of smokeless tobacco (snus and snuff, for example) can be imported for personal use but cannot be sold.

Safe use
Because nicotine is a highly addictive drug, it is strongly suggested that you never start smoking. Parental smoking and peer pressure are common reasons why young people start smoking, but this is a habit that can kill you.

Also, the dangers of second hand smoke are well known. This means that smoking not only harms your health, but it can impact the health of your family, friends, colleagues and people who share a room with you. If you must smoke, please be considerate of all those who share your air. Smoke outside. Don't smoke where other people congregate or walk past. Never smoke around young people - you set a bad example that could greatly harm their health.

How to get help
The Quitline is a national telephone helpline that provides advice to callers who wish to quit smoking. In addition to support and advice from Quitline advisors, subsidised nicotine patches and gum are available for up to eight weeks. Other forms of treatment include hypnotherapy and acupuncture.

For smoking cessation, call the Quit Group 0800 778 778 or visit www.quit.org.nz

Special sections
Tobacco and pregnancy
Smoking can do significant harm to an unborn child. Babies are more likely to be born underweight, premature or stillborn.

The toxins in tobacco smoke that you inhale will reach your baby as well. An unborn child's heart rate will increase and it will not receive as much oxygen nourishment that it should.

Also, children of smoking mothers are more likely to develop asthma, will be more susceptible to coughs, ear infections and respiratory illnesses and are at greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (cot-death).

Second-hand smoke
Second-hand smoke refers to smoke that is breathed out by smokers (mainstream smoke) and the smoke that wafts from a lit cigarette (sidestream smoke). Two-thirds of the smoke from a cigarette is not inhaled by the person smoking the cigarette.

It is estimated that exposure to second-hand smoke causes the deaths of around 350 New Zealanders every year.

Second-hand smoke can increase the risk of developing or worsening some diseases, including lung cancer, emphysema, asthma, heart disease, cystic fibrosis and other cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.

Children are particularly at risk from harm caused by second-hand smoke because their lungs are smaller and more delicate. Children who are often exposed to second-hand smoke are more susceptible to coughs and colds, and need to stay home from school more often. They are also more likely to need hospital care for ailments and illness. Also, second hand smoke affects behavioural development, reducing language skills, attention spans and academic achievement in children.

Young people exposed to second-hand smoke are seven times more likely to smoke in later life.

Cigarettes: A nasty cocktail of chemicals
Cigarettes are not simply made up of dried tobacco leaf wrapped in paper. There are over 4000 chemicals contained in tobacco smoke, including 40 known cancer-causing substances. Some chemicals found in tobacco include:

  • tar, which includes nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. This is the sticky brown substance that stains fingers and teeth
  • carbon monoxide, which is also found in car exhaust. When combined with nicotine it can cause heart disease
  • hydrogen cyanide, a poisonous substance
  • acetone, which is also used as a nail polish remover
  • cadmium, used in batteries
  • ammonia, a common toilet cleaner
  • DDT, an insecticide that is banned from use in New Zealand
  • toluene, an industrial solvent.

Links
www.ash.org.nz The website of New Zealand's Action on Smoking and Health, a leading lobby group for tobacco safety.

www.nida.nih.gov/researchreports/nicotine/nicotine.html A US Government report, published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse

New Zealand Government's National Drug Policy website's section on tobacco

www.sfc.org.nz The website of New Zealand's Smokefree Coalition, including informational and historical information

www.moh.govt.nz/smokefreelaw This section of the Ministry of Health's website contains information on New Zealand's smoking legislation