Smoking Facts and Statistics

y y y y y About 80% of smokers start before the age of 18. Every day nearly 4,000 1217 year olds in the United States start smoking. About 22% of high school students in the United States smoke cigarettes. About 8% of middle school student in the United States smoke cigarettes. About 1 out of 5 people in the United States smoke cigarettes.

Effects
y y y The most common causes of death among smokers are cardiovascular (heart) diseases, tobacco-related cancers, and respiratory diseases. About 430,000 deaths per year are linked to cigarette smoking. More Americans are killed each year by cigarettes than by alcohol, car crashes, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined.

Secondhand smoke effects

y y y y Thirty minutes of secondhand smoke can impair the normal flow of blood to the heart in non-smokers. Secondhand smoke is responsible for about 3,000 lung cancer and tens of thousands of heart disease deaths per year in non-smokers. Levels of secondhand smoke in restaurants have been found to be 25 times greater than those in a home with smokers. Secondhand smoke causes between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory infections in children younger than 18 months and results in 7,00015,000 hospitalizations each year. About 1,9002,700 infants die of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) each year due to secondhand smoke.

Quitting facts
y y y y Cigarette sales dropped by an average of 43% in 4 states where strong tobacco control programs were funded and maintained. Most successful ex-smokers have tried to quit an average of 7 times before they were successful. Withdrawal symptoms peak at 3 days and then begin to subside. Smokers who also suffer from depression have a harder time quitting than smokers who are not depressed.

Sources: All statistics from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association.

Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

Tobacco has a negative effect on almost every organ of the body. According to the Surgeon General, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in about 400,000 deaths each year. Worldwide, recent studies have shown that tobacco is responsible for about 6 million deaths each year. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)or secondhand smokeresults in approximately 3000 lung cancer deaths per year in non-smokers. Secondhand smoke is what is given off by the end of the burning cigarette and by the smoker's exhalations. Cigar smokers and smokeless tobacco (chew or spit tobacco) users have similar health risks as cigarette smokers. Short-term effects of smoking include more frequent respiratory illnesses such as coughs, colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Among children and adolescents exposed to secondhand smoke, rates of asthma, ear infection, and lower respiratory infections are higher. The long-term effects of smoking are extensive. There are numerous diseases linked to smoking. Smoking can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, lungs, stomach, kidneys, bladder, cervix, and pancreas. About one third of all cancers are linked to tobacco useand 90% of lung cancer cases are linked to smoking.

Smoking also causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, (e.g., emphysema, chronic bronchitis), which is severe lung damage. Smoking reduces blood circulation and narrows blood vessels, depriving the body of oxygen and increasing the risk for heart disease. Non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are 25% more likely to develop heart disease. Smoking also doubles the risk for stroke and increases the risk for developing cataracts. Smoking poses additional health risks for women. It increases the risk for rheumatoid arthritis and leads to loss of bone densityosteoporosisthus increasing the chances of hip and spine fractures in postmenopausal women. Women of childbearing age who smoke face higher rates of infertility and greater risks for complications during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy also increases the unborn baby's health risks (e.g., premature birth, respiratory illnesses, low birth weight). After birth, the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) doubles for babies exposed to secondhand smoke. Children and teens are especially vulnerable to the hazards of smoking. Because their bodies are not fully mature, smoking interferes with normal lung development in those who begin smoking as children or adolescents. Young people who smoke may become even more strongly addicted to cigarettes and face a greater risk for developing lung cancer than those who start smoking later in life. Teens who smoke are also more likely to have depression or other psychological problems. They are also more likely to engage in other dangerous behaviors (e.g., using alcohol and other drugs).

Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking

In addition to the physical health benefits of quitting, many ex-smokers report that they feel calmer and happier after quitting. Many also report an improvement in their sense of taste, having more energy, and feeling better about themselves knowing that they were able to do something so challenging. Physical health benefits include the following: y As soon as 20 minutes after a smoker's last cigarette, the body begins to recover from the negative health effects of smoking and the heart rate starts to slow. Levels of toxic carbon monoxide in the blood return to normal after 12 hours without smoking.

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Lung function improves and the risk for heart attack begins to drop as soon as 2 weeks after the last cigarette. Coughing and shortness of breath decrease 1 to 9 months after the last cigarette. Risk for coronary heart disease becomes half that of a smoker after 1 year. Risk for stroke approaches that of a non-smoker after 5 years. Risk for developing mouth, throat, esophageal, bladder, kidney, and pancreatic cancer decreases after 10 years. Risk for death from lung cancer reaches half that of a smoker after 10 years. Risk for developing coronary heart disease is equal to a non-smoker after 15 years.

Smokeless Tobacco Facts

Types of Smokeless (Spit) Tobacco The two types of smokeless tobacco (ST) are chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco is sold in loose leaf, twist and plug forms. Snuff comes in moist, dry and sachet forms. The most popular form of ST today is moist snuff. Prevalence Of the estimated 10 million users of ST, 3 million are under the age of 21. Almost 25% of young users start by the 6th grade, and almost 75% start by the 9th grade. In 1970, young males ages 17-19 used ST the least of any age group. Today, usage by males of these ages is the highest of any age group. More than 3% of adult American males, and less than 1% of females, use ST. Among US youth in grades 9-12, 8% use ST at least once a month and 23% use daily.

Tobacco Industry Advertising and Promotion The tobacco industry has targeted male adolescents with its aggressive advertising. Ads associate ST with rodeos, rock stars, and sports heroes. ST companies sponsor rock concerts, rodeos, auto racing and tractor pulls. Risks of Smokeless Tobacco Use Spit tobacco is not a safe substitute for smoking. It can cause oral cancers and lead to addiction. The major carcinogens in ST are nitrosamines, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and radioactive and metallic compounds. The nitrosamine content of ST exceeds beyond 1000 times the nitrosamine content allowed by the FDA in products like beer and bacon. ST is also associated with cancers of the esophagus, larynx, and stomach, and an increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. 40-60% of ST users exhibit leukoplakia in the area where the quid is held, usually within a few months of beginning regular use. Leukoplakia is regarded as precancerous with a malignant transformation rate of 2-6%. Other oral side effects of ST include gingival recession, staining of teeth, loss of taste, and bad breath. Chewing tobacco users have an increase in dental caries due to the higher sugar content in this ST product. ST is dangerous but smoking is 2 times more likely to cause oral cancer than smokeless tobacco. Addiction The nicotine in ST is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and is addicting. Spit tobacco users have similar, or even higher, levels of nicotine than smoker who use a pack or more a day. Withdrawal from regular ST use results in the same withdrawal symptoms and discomfort seen in heavy smokers attempting to quit. Manufacturers of ST products have altered the nicotine content and pH, added flavors, and packaged moist snuff in sachets as starter products. These products gradually move novice users on to higher levels of nicotine addiction as their tolerance increases. Sources: http://www1.umn.edu/perio/tobacco/smokeless.html