WHO notes that the tobacco epidemic is still expanding, especially in developing countries where, currently, 84% of the smokers live. Tobacco use kills 4.9 million people each year, and this toll is expected to double in the next 20 years. At current rates, the total number of tobacco users is expected to rise to 1.7 billion by 2025 from 1.3 billion now. Every 6.5 seconds one person dies and many others fall ill or suffer disease and disability due to tobacco use. Tobacco is the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide.

Tobacco contains tar (numerous chemicals that cause a thick, sticky substance to form in the lungs when smoked), nicotine, carbon monoxide and over 4,000 chemicals in total.

It increases the risk of cancer (especially in the lung, mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, and cervix), heart attacks and strokes, and chronic lung disease. Tobacco use during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation (resulting in the birth of an infant small for gestational age), and the infant's risk for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Nicotine is a toxic and dependence producing psychotropic substance. Long-term exposure to nicotine may cause coronary artery disease, peptic ulcer disease, reproductive disturbances, GERD, high blood pressure, fetal illnesses and death, and delayed wound healing.

For smokers, the specific health risks of tobacco use include:

• nicotine addiction
• decreased senses of taste and smell
• in pregnancy, increased fetal death, premature labor, low birthweight infants, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
• lung disease -- emphysema, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer
• coronary artery disease--angina, heart attacks
• atherosclerotic and peripheral vascular disease -- aneurysms, hypertension, blood clots, strokes
• oral/tooth/gum diseases -- including oral cancer
• other cancers -- kidney, bladder, and pancreas

For nonsmokers exposed regularly to secondhand smoke, the specific health risks include:

• increased risk of lung cancer over those not exposed to smoke
• in infants and children, an increased frequency of respiratory infections (such as bronchitis and pneumonia), asthma, and decreases in lung function as the lungs mature
• may experience (upon exposure to smoke) sudden, and occasionally severe, reactions including eye, nose, throat, and lower respiratory tract symptoms

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is the use of various forms of nicotine delivery methods intended to replace nicotine obtained from smoking or other tobacco usage. Although still harmful, they provide a cleaner form of nicotine unlike tobacco. These avoid exposure to other thousands of poisons like carbon monoxide, tar etc. that are found in burning tobacco. In this way, the withdrawal effect of not smoking is less severe.

The different forms of nicotine replacement medicine are Nicotine gum, Nicotine patches, Nicotine nasal spray, Nicotine inhaler etc.

Nicotine gum and lozenges release nicotine slowly into the mouth. Nicotine patches stick to your skin and slowly release nicotine through the skin into your bloodstream. Nicotine nasal spray is used like any nasal spray, by squirting mist into each nostril. The nicotine inhaler has a holder that contains nicotine. The inhaler delivers a puff of nicotine vapor into your mouth and throat.

But the specific health risks include:

• nicotine addiction
• decreased senses of taste and smell
• in pregnancy, increased fetal death, premature labor, low birthweight infants, and SIDS
• oral/tooth/gum diseases -- including a 50 times greater risk for oral cancer with long-term or regular use
• coronary artery disease -- angina, heart attacks

Atherosclerotic and peripheral vascular disease -- aneurysms, hypertension, blood clots, strokes.