Community Health Administration Bureau of Cancer and Chronic Disease                                                                                                      <<Return to main page>> Tobacco Control Program FAQ's Where can I go if I want to quit smoking? What products are available to help me quit? Where can I call to report the illegal sale of tobacco to minors? What are the health risks of smoking cigarettes? What is secondhand smoke? What is a bidi (beedie)? Is a bidi a safe alternative to cigarette? Are cigars as dangerous as cigarettes? Where can I go if I want to quit smoking? For a list of local smoking cessation resources select here. What products are available to help me quit? For a comparison of nicotine replacement products select here. Where can I call to report the illegal sale of tobacco to minors? Constance Bush (202) 645-0318 What are the health risks of smoking cigarettes? Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in both men and women. Smoking is the most common cause of this kind of cancer. Unfortunately, lung cancer is hard to cure. In most cases, lung cancer is not found until it has spread to other parts of the body, like the brain, liver, or bones. By quitting smoking, you can reduce your chance of getting this kind of cancer. Lung Cancer: This finger-shaped growth partly blocking the windpipe is lung cancer. Lung with Cancer: The cancer is the grayish-white bumps on and in the lung. Every time you smoke a cigarette, you increase your risk of death from this kind of cancer. Oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth, tongue, cheek, and lips. Tobacco in both cigarettes and smokeless tobacco is a leading cause of these deadly cancers. Swelling of the Mouth: Smoking can irritate the skin of the mouth, causing it to swell. Notice the bumps—and the teeth stains. Tongue Cancer: The sore on the tongue (right side of photo) is cancer. The sore will spread unless it is removed. Ulcers are sores or holes in the stomach, most often caused by bacteria. Smokers tend to have more ulcers than nonsmokers, and smoking keeps ulcers from healing. Stomach Ulcer: The black hole in the middle of this stomach is an ulcer. Stroke is a lack of blood flow to the brain due to a blockage in a blood vessel or the bursting of a blood vessel. Severe disability and even death can result from a stroke. Smoking cigarettes is related to high blood pressure and to hardening of the arteries, both of which can cause a stroke. Stroke Damage: This brain shows stroke damage. The bleeding is the dark red area. Osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones that takes place as you get older. It is more common in women than men. If you have osteoporosis, you are more likely to have severe back problems and broken bones. If you smoke, you increase your chances of developing this bone disorder. Premature menopause can be caused by smoking. Most women reach menopause-when they can no longer become pregnant-by their late 40s or early 50s. A woman who smokes cigarettes tends to reach the age of menopause sooner than if she had not smoked. The more cigarettes she smokes, the sooner she will reach menopause. Premature wrinkling can also be caused by smoking. Poisons in cigarette smoke age your skin and dry it out, causing wrinkles. Smoking not only robs your health, it makes you look older than you otherwise would. What is secondhand smoke? Secondhand smoke, also called Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), is the smoke that smokers breathe out and the smoke from burning tobacco products that others breathe in. For more information on the dangers of secondhand smoke select here. What is a bidi (beedie)? A bidi is a small, flavored, filterless cigarette made in India. A bidi is a dried tendu leaf rolled around tobacco, usually tied with a red string. They come in a variety of flavors, including vanilla, cherry, menthol, and chocolate etc. Is a bidi a safe alternative to cigarette? No. Studies have shown that bidis are higher in carbon monoxide, tar, and nicotine than cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, "An unfiltered bidi releases three to five times more tar and nicotine than a regular cigarette despite containing less tobacco." Research also indicates that bidi smokers are at risk of developing oral cancer, lung cancer, and other health problems similar to those of cigarette smokers. Are cigars as dangerous as cigarettes? Yes. Smoking one cigar is like smoking up to eight cigarettes. They contain nicotine and cancer-causing chemicals, just like cigarettes. Although many cigar smokers say they do not inhale, they still are greatly at risk for oral and throat cancer.