Health Tip: Why You Shouldn't Start Smoking

Nicotine's addictive properties mean you may never stop

(HealthDayNews) -- The nicotine found in cigarettes and cigars is as addictive as heroin or cocaine, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) says.

The more you smoke or chew tobacco, the more your body develops a tolerance for nicotine. That's what gets you hooked. And once you're addicted, it's extremely difficult to quit.

People who start smoking before age 21 have the hardest time quitting, the NIH says, and fewer than one in 10 people who try to quit succeed.

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