c Tobacco, in its purest form is sacred for American Indians.

c Unfortunately, too many of our people have gravitated toward non-traditional tobacco use in
cigarette, pipe and cigar abuse.
c It has begun to affect our children and our elders.
c It is the gateway drug for our youth which may lead to long term drug abuse or alcohol abuse.

Although many people smoke because they believe cigarettes calm their nerves, smoking releases
epinephrine, a hormone which creates physiological stress in the smoker, rather than relaxation. The
use of tobacco is addictive. Most users develop tolerance for nicotine and need greater amounts to
produce a desired effect.

Smokers become physically and psychologically dependent and will suffer withdrawal symptoms
including:

c changes in body temperature

c heart rate
c digestion
c muscle tone
c and appetite.

Psychological symptoms include:

c irritability
c anxiety
c sleep disturbances
c nervousness
c headaches
c fatigue
c nausea
c cravings for tobacco that can last days, weeks, months, years or an entire lifetime.

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c Diminished or extinguished sense of smell and taste

c Frequent colds
c Smoker's cough
c Gastric ulcers
c Chronic bronchitis
c Increase in heart rate and blood pressure
c Premature and more abundant face wrinkles
c Emphysema
c heart disease-the number one cause of death among American Indians
c Stroke
c Cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, lungs, pancreas, cervix, uterus, and
bladder

Cigarette smoking is perhaps the most devastating preventable cause of disease and premature
death.

Smoking is particularly dangerous for teens because their bodies are still developing and changing
and the 4,000 chemicals (including 200 known poisons) in cigarette smoke can adversely affect this
process.

Cigarettes are highly addictive. One-third of young people who are just "experimenting" end up being
addicted by the time they are 20.