CommercialTobacco

Tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive toxin that can be as addictive as cocaine or heroin. It quickly enters the body and the brain and works by increasing dopamine production above what the brain normally produces. Over time, it desensitizes the brain to dopamine, leading users to continue using tobacco more frequently to achieve the same effects.

Typesof Tobaccco

There is a variety of tobacco and nicotine products that have been used over the years. While cigarettes are common, there are other products that have gained popularity in recent years. Some of these products include:

E-cigarettes are short for electronic cigarettes, but they are also called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).” They consist of a battery, a heating element, and a liquid containing nicotine, marijuana, or another drug. E-cigarettes heat the liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user in a similar manner to smoking cigarettes. While some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, many look like pens, USBs, makeup compacts, watches, small toys, and other everyday objects.

In California, over twice as many young adults ages 18-25 use e-cigarettes as other adults, and California high school students use e-cigarettes more than any other tobacco products.

Nicotine pouches are a type of smokeless tobacco product. Nicotine pouches are small microfiber pouches containing a powder containing nicotine, flavorings, and other ingredients. The pouch is usually placed in the mouth under the upper lip, where the pouch dissolves and the nicotine is absorbed through the gums and lining of the mouth. Like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches come in a variety of flavors to appeal to youth and young adults.

Nicotine pouches are the second most commonly used tobacco product by American middle and high school students after e-cigarettes.

Heated tobacco products are designed to heat processed tobacco leaves or marijuana instead of burning tobacco or marijuana. This makes them different from e-cigarettes, which heat liquids containing nicotine or other drugs. Heated tobacco products comes in a variety of forms and may include flavorings. Heated tobacco products are still relatively new in the U.S., and research regarding its effects are ongoing.

HarmfulEffects

Tobacco and nicotine have serious health effects that can harm you, your family, your friends, and your community.

Short-term effects of tobacco and nicotine start as quickly as 10 seconds and can last for around 2 hours. Sort-term side effects include:

  • Feelings of pleasure and relaxation
  • Increased heart rate
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Faster breathing
  • Temporary improvement to cognitive ability

Long-term negative health effects from tobacco and nicotine include:

  • Addiction
  • Difficulties with attention, learning, and impulse control
  • Increased levels of stress
  • Intense symptoms of depression and anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Increase in asthma symptoms
  • Cognitive decline
  • Fertility problems
  • Complications during pregnancy and stillbirths for mothers who use nicotine during pregnancy
  • Low birth weight and pre-term births for infants of mothers who use nicotine during pregnancy
  • Increased risk for birth defects
  • Increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • Increased risk of lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Damaged blood vessels and increased clotting
  • Weakened immune system
  • Increased risk of heart diseases
  • Increased risk of heart attacks
  • Increased risk of stroke
  • Increased risk of cancers, including lung cancer (when smoked or vaped) and oral cancers (when used orally)

Nicotine can cause poisoning in larger amounts. Symptoms of severe poisoning include:

  • Tremors
  • Being so tired or weak that you can’t do anything
  • Blue or purple skin, lips, or fingernails
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Convulsions (uncontrolled shaking)
  • Collapse (temporary loss of consciousness and/or muscle strength)
  • Coma
  • Death

Research into the health effects of e-cigarettes are limited as e-cigarettes are relatively new. However, there are known negative health effects from e-cigarettes.

  • Nicotine addiction
  • Possible seizures
  • Serious injuries from e-cigarette batteries catching fire or exploding
  • Nicotine poisoning
  • Lung disease
  • Low birth weight and pre-term births for infants of mothers who used e-cigarettes during pregnancy
  • Potential risk of overdose when used with other drugs

Secondhand smoke can cause negative health effects, even in people who don’t smoke. In adults, these include:

  • Heart attacks
  • Coronary heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Lung cancer

In infants and children, negative health effects can include:

  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in infants after birth
  • Low birth weight and preterm births of infants of mothers who were exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy
  • Acute respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis
  • Ear infections
  • Slowed lung growth
  • More frequent and severe asthma attacks
  • Increased risk of developing mental disorders, such as depression

There is not much research regarding secondhand aerosol from e-cigarettes. However, secondhand aerosol can cause negative health effects, even in people who don’t vape. These include:

  • Acute endothelial cell dysfunction (a coronary artery disease), which can cause heart disease or heart attacks
  • Increased risk of developing moderate to severe depression, anxiety, or social withdrawal
  • Asthma attacks in children

By the Numbers

0 +
Americans die from tobacco use every year, making it the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
Source: fda.gov
0 mg
of nicotine a day in youth is enough to start a nicotine addiction—about 1/4 of an e-cigarette pod.
Source: truthinitiative.org
0
Americans who have not smoked have died from health problems caused by secondhand smoke since 1964.
Source: cdc.gov
0
American youth reported using tobacco products in 2025.
Source: fda.gov
0 %
of American youth who used e-cigarettes in 2025 reported using them daily.
Source: fda.gov
0 %
of American youth who used e-cigarettes reported using flavored e-cigarettes in 2025.
Source: fda.gov
0 %
of American youth who used nicotine pouches in 2025 reported using them daily.
Source: fda.gov
0 %
of American youth who used nicotine pouches in 2025 used a flavored product.
Source: fda.gov
0
American youth reported using at least two tobacco products in 2025.
Source: fda.gov
1 in 0
cancer deaths in California are attributed to smoking.
Source: hcai.ca.gov
0 %
of adults in California used cigarettes in 2023–2024.
Source: hcai.ca.gov
0 %
of adults in California used vapes in 2023–2024.
Source: hcai.ca.gov
0 %
of California high school students that used e-cigarettes in 2024 reported using them daily or almost daily.
Source: hcai.ca.gov
0 %
of California high school students in 2024 reported recently seeing ads for tobacco products.
Source: hcai.ca.gov
1 in 0
licensed tobacco retailers in California inspected in 2024 illegally sold tobacco to an underage customer.
Source: hcai.ca.gov

  • Why Quit?

    Protect Family & Friends

    • Secondhand smoke and aerosol can increase the risk for asthma, depression, and anxiety for youth. Quitting tobacco products can protect the health of infants, children, and teens in your home.
    • Secondhand smoke and aerosol can increase the risk for heart diseases, heart attacks, and strokes in adults. Quitting can help lower your risk and protect the health of your family and friends.

  • Why Quit?

    Save Money

    • On average, disposable e-cigarettes cost users $20 per week. Reusable e-cigarettes cost an average of $30 per week. That's up to $1,560 per year.
    • The average cost of cigarettes in California in 2026 is $11.78—that will add up to $4,229.70 for cigarettes in 2026.
    • E-cigarette users spend over $2,000 more on healthcare per year than nonsmokers. E-cigarette users also spend more in healthcare than those who use other forms of commercial tobacco.

  • Why Quit?

    Be A Good Example

    • Teens are more likely to use tobacco if their family members are also using tobacco. Quitting tobacco can encourage your family members to quit or encourage your family to not start.
    • Many teens start vaping because their friends vape. Quitting tobacco and living a tobacco-free life can give your children, peers, and other youth a positive example to follow.

FAQ

Commercial tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals that are toxic or otherwise harmful. Some of these chemicals include:

  • Nicotine (used as a pesticide until 2014), which is highly addictive
  • Benzene (found in rubber cement and gasoline), which increases your risk for leukemia (blood cancer) and blood disorders
  • Butane (found in lighter fluid)
  • Formaldehyde (used as embalming fluid), acrolein (used to manufacture acrylic acid and as a biocide), and acetaldehyde (used to manufacture perfumes, polyester resins, and basic dyes), which can cause lung damage, cancer, and cardiovascular disease
  • Ammonia (used in household cleaners), which can cause lung damage
  • Toluene (a solvent used to manufacture paint)
  • Toxic metal particles such as cadmium (an active component in battery acid), arsenic (used in mining, metal smelting, and as pesticides), and lead (used in batteries), which can be inhaled into the lungs
  • Toxic gases such as hydrogen cyanide (used in manufacturing) and carbon monoxide (found in exhaust from engines, stoves, and other heating appliances), which can cause suffocation in large amounts

E-cigarette aerosol contains many harmful and potentially harmful substances, which may include:

  • Nicotine, marijuana, or other drugs, such as meth or fentanyl
  • Flavorings like pulegone and diacetyl, which can cause cancer and severe lung disease respectively
  • Formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde, which are also found in cigarette smoke and can cause lung damage, cancer, and cardiovascular disease
  • Toxic metal particles such as nickel, lead, and chromium, which can be inhaled into the lungs
  • Additional toxic chemicals such as acrylonitrile, propylene oxide, and crotonaldehyde
  • Vitamin E, which can lead to severe lung tissue damage when vaped
  • Ethanol, which has unknown health effects

While e-cigarette aerosol has fewer chemicals than cigarette smoke, it is still harmful. You don’t have to smoke or vape to be negatively affected by secondhand smoke, and no amount of smoke or aerosol is safe.

Withdrawal symptoms for nicotine include:

  • Having cravings, or a strong urge to smoke, vape, or otherwise use nicotine
  • Feeling irritable, jumpy, restless, or anxious
  • Feeling sad or depressed
  • Having trouble sleeping
  • Having trouble with attention and memory
  • Feeling hungry

Tips for managing cravings can be found on the Centers for Disease Control website.

From the 2020 Surgeon General’s Report:

“There is presently inadequate evidence to conclude that e-cigarettes, in general, increase smoking cessation.”

The FDA has not approved nicotine pouches as a treatment option for quitting tobacco or nicotine products.

Resources

Reasons to Quit
Tips for Quitting
Helping Others Quit
Quitting While Pregnant
Protecting Youth
Talking to Your Child
Vaping Lingo
Vaping & Mental Health
Vaping at School
Menu of Addiction
Thirdhand Smoke
TCCC