Tobacco / Nicotine
Tobacco is a plant grown for its leaves, which are dried and fermented before being put in tobacco products. Tobacco contains nicotine, the ingredient that can lead to addiction. Nicotine acts in the brain by stimulating the adrenal glands to release the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) and by increasing levels of the chemical messenger dopamine.
Health Problems:
Tobacco smoking can lead to lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. It increases the risk of heart disease, which can lead to stroke or heart attack. Smoking has also been linked to other cancers, leukemia, cataracts, and pneumonia. Smokeless tobacco increases the risk of cancer, especially mouth cancers.
Secondhand smoke can lead to lung cancer and heart disease as well as other health effects in adults and children.
For many who use tobacco, brain changes brought on by continued nicotine exposure result in addiction.
Both behavioral treatments and medication can help people quit smoking, but the combination of medication with counseling is more effective than either alone. Nicotine overdose is possible, though it usually occurs in young children who accidentally chew on nicotine gum or patches or swallow e-cigarette liquid.
Anyone concerned that a child or adult might be experiencing a nicotine overdose should seek immediate medical help.
Source: NIDA
Fact Sheets
- Bidis and Kreteks
- Cigarillos Electronicos
- Dangers of Hookah Smoking
- Drug Facts: Tobacco
- Drug Paraphernalia
- E-Cigarette Use Among Youth & Young Adults
- Electronic Cigarettes
- Hable con su Hijo(a) Adolescente Sobre los Cigarrillos Electrónicos: Una Hoja de Consejos para los Padres
- Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation
- Liquid Nicotine: Danger To Children
- Smokeless Tobacco
- Talk With Your Teen About E-cigarettes: A Tip Sheet For Parents
Research & Statistics
- American Cancer Society - Statistics
Includes data and statistics on cancer, including cancer related to tobacco use.
- American Lung Association Research & Reports
Includes reports on tobacco use, lung disease, air quality and more.
- Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
BRFSS tracks a variety of health risks in the United States. Users may search for data from interactive databases that provide prevalence data on health risks such as alcohol and tobacco use, and follow trends in behaviors such as binge drinking. Trends and Prevalence data are viewable by state or nationwide. Maps illustrate health risks at national, state and local levels.
- Connecticut Data Collaborative
Users may search by location or topic. Topic selections include: Civic vitality, Demographics, Economy, Health, Education, Housing, and Safety. The Health category includes data sets on mental health, treatment admissions, substance use, mortality, and tobacco use.
- Connecticut SEOW Prevention Data Portal
Search, view, and access 200+ indicators relevant to substance use/misuse, mental health, suicide, gambling, and social determinants of health. Explore 30+ data sets relevant to behavioral health, each with multiple visualization capabilities, downloadable data, and metadata.
- Connecticut Youth Tobacco SurveyThe Youth Tobacco Survey was administered to a sample of middle and high school students. Students were asked about their use of different forms of tobacco, including: cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, pipes and bidis.
- Data and Dissemination - SAMHSA
Find data and reports on mental health, substance use treatment, and drug use from sources that include: the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), National Mental Health Services Survey (NMHSS), and more.
- Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention developed the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) to track tobacco use among youth across countries using a common methodology and core questionnaire. Includes country reports, fact sheets, sample questionnaires, and links.
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs)Includes tobacco-related reports.
- PubMed
PubMed comprises more than 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.
- Smoking and Tobacco Control Monographs
The National Cancer Institute established the Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph series in 1991 to provide ongoing and timely information about emerging public health issues in smoking and tobacco use control. Many of the monographs can also be viewed online in pdf format.
- The Connecticut School Health Survey
The Connecticut School Health Survey (CSHS) is comprised of the Youth Tobacco Component (YTC) (PDF) and the Youth Behavior Component (YBC) (PDF). These two school surveys have been co-administered since 2005. The YTC is a school-based survey of students in grades 6 - 12, with randomly chosen classrooms within selected schools, and is anonymous and confidential. The YBC is also a school-based survey of students, but only of high-school grades 9 - 12 and it, too, is anonymous and confidential.
- The State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System (STATE)
The STATE System is an interactive application that presents current and historical state-level data on tobacco use prevention and control
- The Tobacco Atlas - World Lung Foundation, American Cancer SocietyFull-color maps and graphics illustrate a wide range of tobacco issues, including: the history of tobacco, prevalence and consumption, youth tobacco uee, secondhand smoking, morbidity and mortality, and others.
- The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
The YRBSS monitors health risk behaviors in youth that contribute to leading causes of death, disability and social problems. Monitored behaviors include: tobacco use, diet, physical activity, alcohol and drug use, sexual behavior, and behaviors that contribute to unintentional injury or violence.
- Tobacco-Related Disparities - CDCProvides data on the following population groups: African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders/Native Hawaiians, Hispanics/Latinos, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Persons.
Screening Tools
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