Articles

Most People Are Ignorant About Poisons Found in Cigarette Smoke.

The mass public is unaware of the multitude of poisonous chemicals found in cigarette smoke. Smoke from cigarettes contains some 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. But three quarters of people surveyed* were not able to name a single chemical, other than nicotine and tar which are listed on cigarette packs. Of those who said they know a lot about the dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke, 68 per cent could not name any. Even when given a list of poisons to choose from, more than two in five people were not able to identify a single one. The results of the survey were published today (December 11, 2006) at the launch of the charity’s hard-hitting new anti-tobacco campaign, "Smoke is Poison". By raising awareness of the poisons in cigarette smoke - which include, arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde - the campaign aims to save some of the tens of thousands of lives lost to smoking related diseases every year in the UK.

There should be a similar push in the U.S. to more thoroughly educate it's smoking public. Even though we know cigarette smoke is dangerous, I wonder how many loyal smokers would continue the habit if they knew exactly what they were putting in there bodies.

For more information about the poisons in cigarette smoke visit: www.smokeispoison.com

SMOKE IS POISON CASE STUDIES

During this case study, r eal employees were filmed in their places of work in order to capture genuine reactions to the revelation that cigarette smoke contains poisonous chemicals.

Russel Hopps - undertaker

Russel, after Taking part in the filming of Cancer Research UK's new hard-hitting anti-tobacco advertisements, gave up smoking two weeks ago. He said: "I was really shocked when I heard that formaldehyde is in cigarettes. In our business we wear goggles, a mask, thick gloves and an apron to protect our health while we are embalming. "Taking part in the filming made me wonder just what other nasty chemicals are in cigarette smoke. "I've been thinking about trying to quit for ages, but this has made me decide to give up for good."

He is using nicotine patches to help him stop smoking. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a safe way to quit. Using NRT can double your chances of successfully giving up for good. "I've been smoking about 20 a day for most of my life. But I haven't had a cigarette for about two weeks now. It's not easy, but using the patches really helps. I'm determined to do it. I know it will be worth it in the end."

The survey

*The BMRB survey was carried out in November 2006. Over 1,600 people across the UK were interviewed, including more than 500 smokers. Just over sixty per cent (61%) of smokers were unable to name any of the chemicals in cigarette smoke other than tar and nicotine, which are listed on the pack. And only one per cent could list more than three. Nearly 60 per cent (57%) of smokers who said they know a lot about the dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke where unable to name a single one, other than tar and nicotine. And even when given a list to choose from, nearly 30 per cent of smokers surveyed still couldn’t name any of the chemicals that cigarette smoke contains.

DECEMBER 12, 2006