Ready to Care, Ready to Choose, Ready to Commit:

Tobacco use is known to cause cancer in various different parts of the body, including the lungs, pancreas, mouth, and throat. According to the CDC website, "smokers have a greater risk for lung cancer today than they did in 1964, even though they smoke fewer cigarettes. One reason may be changes in how cigarettes are made and what they contain."  Tobacco use by smoking is also a known contributor to heart disease, stroke, COPD, and issues with fertility and pregnancy. 

Nicotine is the most addictive compound in tobacco products. The CDC reports "research suggests that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol."

For more from the CDC website, visit Smoking and Tobacco Use Basic Information.

"Tobacco kills up to half of its users...Tobacco caused 100 million deaths in the 20th century. If current trends continue, it may cause one billion deaths in the 21st century." ~ World Health Organization (WHO) on Tobacco.

For more from the WHO website, visit Tobacco Health Topic.

There is a widespread belief that cigarettes are biodegradable. Not true. The ingredients in cigarettes affect our water and our wildlife. According to truthinitiative.org, "cigarette butts are the number one littered item on US beaches and roadways." For a download or brief video visit Truth Initiative.

"About 95% of cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic which does not quickly degrade and can persist in the environment." Learn about Keep America Beautiful's Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.

The U.S. Surgeon General has stated that no amount of secondhand smoke is safe.

Some of the major health conditions caused by secondhand smoke are cancer, strokes, and cardiovascular disease.  The CDC reports "since the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report, 2.5 million adults who were nonsmokers died because they breathed secondhand smoke."

According to the World Health Organization website, "worldwide, more than 600 000 deaths per year are caused by second-hand smoke."

Thirdhand smoke is generally considered to be residual nicotine and other chemicals left on a variety of indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke. According to MayoClinic.org, this residue is thought to react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix. Thirdhand smoke also resides in clothing. An asthmatic individual hugging someone with thirdhand smoke on their clothes from earlier smoking or earlier second-hand smoke exposure can suffer from an asthma attack.

For more information visit the Mayo Clinic website on thirdhand smoke.

Besides for the well known health conditions associated with tobacco use, those who work in the tobacco fields suffer immediate and long term consequences from the effects of nicotine exposure. In addition, our current U.S. government allows children as young as 12 to work in the tobacco fields. In a May 2014 article in Human Rights Watch published online, it was reported "the world’s largest tobacco companies buy tobacco grown on US farms, but none have child labor policies that sufficiently protect children from hazardous work."

For the Human Rights Watch article visit US: Child Workers in Danger on Tobacco Farms.

See more info in the youtube video MADE IN THE USA: Child Labor & Tobacco.

Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society's organized community walk fundraiser. It is a celebration of life and a way to also honor loved ones who have lost their lives to cancer. For updates on this event, visit the Relay For Life event page.

More information is available on the Relay For Life of Greater Athens Facebook page.