Each year, smokers across America take part in the American Cancer Society's (ACS) Great American Smokeout. This event is always on the third Thursday of November, and takes place this year on Nov. 18. Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals produced by the burning of tobacco and its additives. Cigarette smoke contains tar, which is made up of more than 4,000 chemicals, including over 60 known to cause cancer. Some of these substances cause heart and lung diseases, and all of them can be deadly. Some of the chemicals found in cigarette smoke include cyanide, benzene, formaldehyde, methanol (wood alcohol), acetylene (the fuel used in welding torches) and ammonia. Cigarette smoke also contains the poison gases nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. The tobacco leaves used in making cigarettes also contain radioactive materials; the amount depends on the soil the plants were grown in and fertilizers used. But this means that cigarette smoke contains small amounts of radioactive material too, which smokers bring into their lungs as they inhale. Tobacco use accounts for at least 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking causes about 87 percent of lung cancer deaths. Smoking also causes cancers of the larynx (voice box), mouth, pharynx (throat), esophagus (swallowing tube) and bladder. It also has been linked to the development of cancers of the pancreas, cervix, kidney and stomach, and some types of leukemia. There is no safe way to use tobacco. Quitting is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your loved ones. The Great American Smokeout challenges people to stop using tobacco, and raises awareness of the many effective ways to quit for good. For more information on quitting or getting involved, visit the American Cancer Society's Web site at www.cancer.org, or call 800-ACS-2345.
