Cigarettes and you

It is against the law for anyone under the age of 18 to buy tobacco products like cigarettes.

In 2007, a law was passed banning smoking in all public places to help combat passive smoking. The ban covers pubs and bars, offices, factories, but not outdoors or in private.

Smoking tobacco is one of the most dangerous habits in the world, killing more than five million people every year. Despite this, over a billion people still smoke. Do you know someone who smokes?

Some people smoke cannabis, an illegal class B drug. Smoking cannabis like tobacco, carries health risks such as an increased risk of lung and throat cancers.

People smoke for different reasons, some think it makes them look cool or helps them to relax. Is this true?

 

Why smoking is not cool

• It gives you bad breath
• It turns your teeth and fingers yellow
• It causes bad skin, making you look pale and ill
• You are more likely to get colds or flu
• It makes your clothes & hair smell
• You can lose your sense of smell and taste
• It reduces your breathing ability, thus affecting your performance in sports
• It can cause fertility problems with women and affect sexual health in men and women
• You will be more likely to get heart disease, lung disease or suffer a major heart attack or stroke

Others smoke because their friends do it, but remember it is an addiction and it can be very hard to stop. The best advice is not to start smoking in the first place.