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What is tobacco?
Tobacco refers to the leaves of the Nicotania tabacum, a plant that originally grew naturally in both North and South America.
Tobacco has been used for thousands of years by Aboriginal people who chewed and smoked the leaves (among other modes of use) for daily, social and spiritual purposes.
Europeans were introduced to tobacco upon arriving in the New World in 1492. In turn they introduced smoking to people back in Europe where it became a popular pasttime. The demand for tobacco increased and large tobacco plantations were built. The Europeans used African slaves to grow, harvest and process the crops for sale in Europe and other places.
Today, the world’s leading tobacco producers are China, Brazil, India and the US. The process of making modern cigarettes from tobacco has become very complex, and many chemical fertilizers, preservatives and additives are used.
Modern tobacco comes in many forms, including:
•   cigarettes (dried, processed leaves that are rolled in a paper tube and smoked)
•   pipe tobacco (dried, processed leaves that are added to a pipe and smoked)
•   chew (a leafy form of processed tobacco that is put between the cheek and gums)
•   snuff or snus (a powdered form of processed tobacco that is sniffed or put between the lower lip or cheek and gums)
The active ingredient in all forms of tobacco is nicotine, a stimulant drug that speeds up a person’s breathing and heart rate. It also speeds up activity in the central nervous system.
 How does tobacco work?
When tobacco leaves are smoked, nicotine is absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream. When tobacco is chewed or sniffed, nicotine is absorbed through membranes in the mouth and nose. It then travels through the body to the brain.
Nicotine triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical (neurotransmitter) in the brain associated with pleasure. When a person smokes a cigarette or uses smokeless tobacco, the nicotine makes them feel relaxed for a short period of time. Soon after, however, the stimulant effects of the drug kick in.
Nicotine activates nerve cells in the brain linked to memory function. For this reason, some researchers think the drug may help people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Why do people use tobacco?
Tobacco is sometimes used to mark a special occasion. A father might celebrate the birth of his new baby by smoking a cigar. Or an Aboriginal group might use tobacco in a cultural ceremony.
Some people use tobacco because they enjoy the taste of leaves when they are chewed. Others like the relaxing sensation that nicotine produces when it first enters the body.
Some people smoke—or smoke more often— when socializing with people who regularly use tobacco. They enjoy the camaraderie they feel with people who spend time in the smoking sections of public areas.
Many regular smokers turn to cigarettes whenever they feel something—boredom, sadness, anger, excitement. They begin to associate smoking with those feelings. People who are emotional and feed their feelings with tobacco tend to smoke more than others.
Sometimes people use tobacco out of habit. They may have been smoking for so long that they don’t even realize how much of their world revolves around when and where they can smoke. Many tobacco users become dependent on nicotine and continue to smoke or chew tobacco even when they no longer want to.
What are the risks and health effects of using tobacco?
When a person smokes tobacco, their blood pressure and heart rate increase. At the same time, the blood flow to their feet and hands decreases. Their chest may tighten up, and they may start wheezing or coughing up phlegm.
New smokers sometimes get dizzy or vomit after smoking a cigarette. They may also get diarrhea. If they have a cold or suffer from asthma, their symptoms may get worse. Some new smokers may get tired or shaky after they light up.
After a short time, smokers may start having problems with their teeth and gums. They may also run out of breath easily.
The longer a person smokes, the greater their chances of developing a smoking-related illness. Smoking has been linked to:
•   cancer of the lungs, mouth or throat
•   cardiovascular diseases, including stroke
•   and heart attack
•   respiratory diseases, such as
•   emphysema and chronic bronchitis
Smoking can also cause weak bones and impotence.
When is using tobacco a problem?
Whenever a person’s tobacco use negatively affects their life, or the lives of others, it is a problem. Therefore, tobacco use is almost always a problem.
Tobacco can cause harm to the people who use it and those who inhale it in the form of second-hand smoke. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, 50 of which are known to cause cancer. The smoke that fills the air around a smoker contains the same amount of dangerous toxins. Childhood asthma has been linked to second-hand smoke.
Using chew or snuff does not affect other people, but both forms of smokeless tobacco contain chemicals and toxins. Users are also at higher risk of developing cancers of the mouth, gums and stomach.
Women who smoke are more likely than men to develop health problems. Smoking can interfere with a woman’s menstrual cycle. Those who smoke while taking birth control pills are 10 times more likely to have a stroke. Smoking when pregnant can harm both the mother and the unborn baby, as harmful chemicals can be transferred from the mother to the fetus.
After smoking regularly for a long time, a person may develop a dependence on tobacco. Their body may start craving nicotine. When they give in to their craving and have a cigarette, they feel a temporary feeling of well-being. However, long-term use of nicotine depresses the brain’s ability to experience pleasure. This means users to have to smoke or chew greater amounts of tobacco to reach satisfaction.
Is tobacco legal?
In BC, the legal age for buying tobacco is 19. It is illegal to sell or give tobacco products to minors. Smoking is banned in public buildings and many other public spaces. Most workplaces have ‘no smoking’ policies.
What to do if you or someone you know is experiencing a problem with tobacco
For tips on how to quit smoking, click or call QuitNow, BC’s smoking cessation support service: www.quitnow.ca or 1–877–455–2233 (toll-free, 24 hours a day).
For information on other treatment options and resources throughout BC, call the Alcohol and Drug Information Referral Service at 1–800–663–1441. In Greater Vancouver, call 604–660–9382.
For information on ways to help yourself quit smoking, see the “Tips†section of the Here to Help website: www.heretohelp.bc.ca. This website also features detailed information on substances and mental health disorders.
You can also find information on a wide variety of substance use issues on the Centre for Addictions Research of BC website: www.carbc.ca.
