Know the Facts About Tobacco Even though the act of smoking seems to help you to take your mind off the stress of exams, friends, roommate hassles and other daily annoyances, every puff you take feeds the need for more and more nicotine. There has been an alarming increase in tobacco use for 18-24 year olds (the Joe Camel generation). Smoking prevalence in young adults (ages 18-24) is about 22%, higher than any other adult age group -- the highest in 30 years. Cigarettes are highly addictive physically. Of the thousands of chemicals (yes, thousands!) in each cigarette, the culprit most responsible for addiction is nicotine, which stimulates the central nervous system. The tobacco industry is spending millions targeting college-aged adults knowing that college is considered a time for experimentation. Experimentation with tobacco can lead to a lifetime of addiction and a reduced quality of life. It only takes smoking a few cigarettes to start the addiction cycle. Look around you and notice the skin of someone a few years older, who smokes. Their skin is more wrinkled because smoking causes skin to become thinner by 25%, depletes the skin of protein and vitamin A that provides elasticity, and reduces blood flow. No amount of beauty cream can compensate for that. Get Involved You can make a difference. Give yourself a voice by becoming a student advocate on the SIUC campus. The purpose of the Live Free tobacco project is to reduce the use of tobacco on and around campus, expose the Tobacco Industry's ongoing deception, raise awareness about how tobacco use effects everyone and create positive, lasting change. One of the best ways to learn is by doing. When you get involved, you will develop the skills and have the opportunity to become an advocate for life! Join a dynamic group of young adults . . . together we can mobilize advocates and help prevent the exploitation of college students by the tobacco industry. This website is made possible through a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Tobacco Free Communities Program.

. Student Health Programs ..ph:1.618.536.5585 ..Dental Hygiene ..ph: 1.618.453.8826 ..Community ..ph: 1.618.453.3134 ..(ext.133 or 134) Big Tobacco and Young People Illinois Department of Public Health Tobacco Information and Prevention Source The National Women's Health Information Center