Tobacco and Your Health
If you or a member of your family has contracted lung disease after being deceived regarding the effects of smoking Marlboro Lights, we urge you to contact our Albuquerque firm for information about tobacco class action litigation.
Tobacco use in any form brings serious health risks. This does not mean, however, that everyone is aware of the extent of the risks. Because of lack of knowledge — and because of addiction — millions of Americans continue to use tobacco products. If you or a loved one suffers from a health problem caused by tobacco, contact an experienced personal injury attorney from Will Ferguson & Associates in Albuquerque, New mexico, to learn your legal options.
Contents of Tobacco Smoke
The chemicals released by a burning cigarette are staggering. Cigarette smoke contains benzene, cyanide, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and ammonia, not to mention nicotine. Nicotine is the main ingredient that makes tobacco addictive; it is as addictive as heroin. The “tar” in cigarettes refers to a black substance that sticks to the lungs of whoever inhales the smoke.
Cigarette smoke has over 4,000 chemical compounds. Over 250 of those are carcinogenic or toxic.
Health Effects of Smoking
The cancers that smoking causes include lung cancer, oral cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer and cervical cancer, among others. Although the most widely known health effect of smoking is cancer, it also causes many other diseases.
Smoking causes cardiovascular and lung diseases. Strokes, coronary heart disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and chronic obstructive lung disease can all be caused by smoking.
When pregnant women smoke, the effects can be serious for the fetus and later for the baby. Low birth weight, certain birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) can result.
Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke
The dangers of secondhand smoking (also known as involuntary smoking or passive smoking) have experienced increased visibility since the US Surgeon General released a report on it in 1986. The report and the Surgeon General’s advocacy helped nonsmokers begin to assert their desire to be free from smoky environments.
Secondhand smoke comes from the end of the cigarette or cigar and from the smoke that the smoker exhales. The dangers of secondhand smoke have been established by numerous studies, which show that it can cause the same types of illnesses in “passive” smokers that it causes in “active” smokers. It is particularly dangerous to children, older adults and those with heart and lung problems.
Health Effects of Smokeless Tobacco
Some people believe that smokeless tobacco is a safe alternative to cigarettes. This is not true. Smokeless tobacco has even more nicotine than cigarettes, and it causes cancer of the mouth in addition to white and red spots in the mouth (which can become cancerous) and tooth and gum decay.
Contact an Attorney for More Information
Tobacco-related health issues can be very serious. If you or a loved one has endured such problems, contact a tobacco attorney at Will Ferguson & Associates in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to discuss your next steps.
DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent legal counsel for advice on any legal matter.