Polonium-210 (Po-210) is a radioactive material that occurs naturally in the earthÂ’s crust.
Similar to bananaÂ’s and their affinity for potassium-40, tobacco has an affinity for Polonium. That means that the plant will naturally absorb the nuclide whereas other plants wonÂ’t.
Now here is the interesting part, Po-210 emits alpha particles. Of all the radioactive particles, the alpha particle is the largest, has the highest charge, and does the most biological damage.
Because of its large mass and high charge, it is stopped by the clothes that you wear or even your skin. So itÂ’s a radiation hazard only if it is taken into the body through breathing or eating.
Polonium has a half-life of 138 days. That means that after 138 days, you will still have half of what you just ingested.
Much of Po-210 is passed through feces, although the remaining amounts that enter the bloodstream can concentrate in organs such as the spleen, kidneys, and liver.
And you thought oral cancer was the only risk; think again. You canÂ’t pull your spleen out and look at it to see if youÂ’ve been chewing too much the way you can look at your lip or gums in the mirror.
Ready to spit that dip out and quit for real now?
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/polonium-210.htm
https://www3.epa.gov/radtown/tobacco.html
Great post Athan. Know thine enemy. ItÂ’s key to winning the war.
While fear of bad or even failing health can be a powerful motivator in causing us to contemplate recovery, the human body is a healing machine. If allowed, it mends and repairs.
What if the primary force driving our recovery is an escalating fear flowing from noticeable dependency related harms? What will happen to those fears if nearly all noticeable harms quickly improve after stopping? What will happen to our determination and resolve?
Imagine a white spot on your gum that quickly disappears.
Healing is normally an extremely positive thing. But if recovery is driven almost exclusively by fear of failing health, it can feel like our motivational rug is being pulled out from under us as our primary concerns evaporate before our eyes.
Imagine healing breeding such thoughts as, "I guess dipping hadn't hurt my body as much as I'd thought. I guess it's safe to go back to dipping."
The flip side of fear of declining or poor health is hope for improved health. While it may seem like word games, when packing durable and sustaining motives the distinction could prove critical.
Instead of using fear of failing health as a motivator, imagine recasting those fears into a dream of seeing how healthy your body can once again become.
I quit because I wanted to reduce my blood pressure. I googled high blood pressure and found that nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine all raise it. At the time, I dipped, drank, and drank coffee. I figured, after 38 years, it is time to quit nicotine. Since then, my blood pressure, along with cholesterol, triglycerides, etc., have all come down.
So John, donÂ’t quit to keep from getting a disease. Quit to improve your health. YouÂ’ll find it to be a mere step in a journey to the healthiest possible you.
Unfortunately, you made two posts and left. You may not be back to read the advice and support offered you, but others will see this, and quit using nicotine.
