Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
Facts About Tobacco
- Tobacco use is the #1 cause of all preventable death in the US.
- Tobacco use kills over 444,000 Americans each year – that’s 1,200
deaths every day.
- Smoking causes approximately 87% of all lung cancer deaths.
- Smoking can cause cancer of the larynx, esophagus, pancreas, cervix,
and kidney.
- Smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack as non-smokers
and greatly increase their chances of getting emphysema, having
strokes, cardiovascular disease, bronchitis and asthma.
- There are approximately 4,000 chemical compounds in cigarette
smoke, including arsenic, tar, carbon monoxide, and lead.
- 43 of the chemicals in cigarette smoke are known to cause cancer.
- Nicotine is the addictive drug that is in all tobacco products.
Medical experts now state that nicotine is as addictive as cocaine
and heroin.
- Women who smoke while they are pregnant can cause great harm to
their babies. Smoking while pregnant can lead to miscarriage, still
birth, low birth weight, premature birth, S.I.D.S., and childhood
diseases.
- The 1 pack-a-day smoker spends on the average of $1,800 each year
on cigarettes.
- Cigars are not a safe alternative to cigarettes. One large cigar
can contain as much tobacco as approximately 1 pack of cigarettes.
- Smoking cigars (even without deep inhalation) can cause lung
cancer, and cancers of the mouth, tongue, and larynx.
- Chewing tobacco is dangerous and addictive. Using 1 can of chewing
tobacco is equal to smoking 60 cigarettes.
- Chewing tobacco is known to cause gum disease, tooth loss, cancers
of the mouth, tongue, and pharynx.
- Tobacco use (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and chewing
tobacco) costs Texas $4.5 billion in health care expenditures each
year.
References:
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2006. Atlanta, GA.
American Cancer Sociey; 2006
American Lung Association. Smoking 101 Fact Sheet. March 2006.
Baker F, Ainsworth SR, Dye JT, Crammer C, et al. Health Risks
associated with cigar smoking. JAMA. 2000;284:735-740.
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. Toll of Tobacco in the United States
of America. December 7, 2005.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette smoking
attributable morbidity – Unites States, 2000. MMRR.
2003;52(35):842-844.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Annual Smoking-Attributable
Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses –
U.S., 1997-2001. Vol. 54, No. 25, July 2005.
National Cancer Institute (NCI). Questions and Answer About Cigar
Smoking and Cancer. Monograph #9. 1988.
Office of US Surgeon General. The Health Benefits of Smoking
Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Office on Smoking and Health. 1990.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Women and Smoking: A
Report of the Surgeon General. 2001.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Consequences of
Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2002.
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