Questions & Answers

2. Is it possible to smoke and not become addicted?

Historically, it was believed that addiction did not occur unless one smoked more than five cigarettes a day. However, a new study has found that a young cigarette smoker can begin to feel powerful desires for nicotine within two days of first inhaling smoke from a cigarette. Furthermore, some adolescents who smoke only a few cigarettes per month suffer withdrawal symptoms. So, we now know that children can become addicted to nicotine very quickly. The only safe way to not become addicted is to not smoke at all.

3. If a person does not inhale, is smoking still dangerous?

In those who typically do not inhale the smoke — such as cigar and pipe smokers and smokeless tobacco users — nicotine is absorbed through the mucosal membranes (lining of the mouth) and gets in the bloodstream more slowly than if one had inhaled. Additionally, there are dangerous chemicals in the smoke that come off the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe. So the passive exposure to this smoke is equivalent to secondhand smoke.

4. Does secondhand smoke cause the same medical problems as direct tobacco smoke?

Nonsmokers, too, can be harmed by the smoke from other people’s cigarettes, pipes or cigars. This kind of smoke is called “environmental tobacco smoke” or “secondhand smoke.” It is the mixture of smoke exhaled by the smoker and the smoke that comes off the burning end of the cigarette, cigar or pipe between puffs. It contains thousands of chemicals that can harm both smokers and nonsmokers alike. Breathing in other people’s smoke can cause cancer and heart disease in adults.

5. Can smoking in a pregnant woman affect the health of her fetus?

If a pregnant woman smokes or her partner smokes around her, she has a greater chance of having a baby that weighs too little. Her child may have more breathing problems during its first year of life and its lungs may not grow as fast as they should. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in some cases, smoking during pregnancy may be associated with miscarriages and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), as well as learning and behavioral problems and an increased risk of obesity in children. Lastly, smoking more than one pack a day during pregnancy nearly doubles the risk that the affected child will become addicted to tobacco if that child starts smoking.

6. Do people suffer withdrawal symptoms when they stop smoking?

You are likely to crave cigarettes and may feel grouchy, restless, or sad for the first two to three days after you quit. For some people, these feelings can last several weeks. It may be hard to focus on tasks. Or you may have trouble sleeping and want to eat more. But you won’t feel bad forever, and medicine can help. Using medicines and products like nicotine gum or patches can help with cravings and make you feel more like yourself.

7. Why do some people gain weight when they stop smoking?

Smoking increases metabolism slightly and burns up to 200 calories a day in a heavy smoker. In addition, nicotine is an appetite suppressant. When you quit smoking, a gain of between five and 10 pounds during the first few months of cessation is normal. If your eating habits have remained the same as they were when you smoked, you can easily shed this small gain with a brisk, 30 minute walk daily.

8. Do menthol cigarettes have fewer health risks than regular cigarettes?

Smokers get a feeling of coolness from smoking a menthol cigarette. This may cause them to inhale more deeply or to hold the smoke in for a longer time. So, menthol cigarettes may cause more harm to the smoker’s health. This fact should be of particular concern to African Americans, because while only one in four whites smoke menthol cigarettes, three out of four African Americans do.