What Are the Most Common Diseases Caused by Smoking?

According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoking is one of the biggest causes of preventable disease and illness, and premature death worldwide. An estimated 438,000 Americans die from smoking-related illness each year, including those with secondhand exposure. In 2004, smoking cost the United States over $193 billion in lost productivity and health care costs. As of 2006, 23.6 percent of males and 17.8 percent of females were smokers. Additionally, as of 2007, 20 percent of high school students were smokers, and over 6 percent of middle school students were smokers.

Cigarettes and Illness

• Cigarette smoke has at least 4,800 chemicals, many of these added during the manufacturing process. Of those chemicals, at least 69 are known carcinogens. Smoking has been directly linked to approximately 90 percent of lung cancer deaths and 80 to 90 percent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths. There are at least 8.6 million people in the United States with at least one serious smoking-related illness. And although smoking is most associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, smoking affects all systems in the body.

Cancer

• According to the American Cancer Society, cigarette smoking is responsible for at least 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and 30 percent of deaths from all forms of cancer. Smoking is a known cause in lung cancer as well as mouth, throat, esophageal and bladder cancer. It has also been linked to pancreatic, cervical, kidney and stomach cancers. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, and is also one of the most difficult forms of cancer to treat.

COPD

• COPD is a progressive lung disease characterized by difficulty breathing. There are two major forms of COPD: emphysema, where the lungs are unable to transfer oxygen and carbon dioxide properly, and bronchitis, where the airways become inflamed. Both diseases are linked to smoking, and most people with COPD smoke or used to smoke. By the American Lung Association's statistics, 73 percent of smoking-related diseases, in current smokers, are chronic lung diseases. Even in former smokers, chronic lung disease makes up 50 percent of smoking-related diseases.

Cardiovascular (CV) Disease

• According to the American Heart Association, cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for coronary heart disease. Women who smoke and use contraceptives are also at greater risk for coronary heart disease and stroke than their nonsmoking counterparts. Smoking also contributes to arteriosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease and aortic aneurysm--all major risk factors in both heart disease and stroke.

Quitting

• Nicotine is highly addictive and reaches the brain very quickly when inhaled. To make matters worse, cigarette manufacturers often add nicotine to their products to make them more addictive. Smoking is as psychologically addicting as it is physically addicting, and many smokers associate normal daily activities with smoking, which makes it even more difficult to quit. It often takes multiple attempts to quit successfully, and medication, counseling and nicotine replacement products can all increase the chance of success. Ultimately, the best smoking cessation plan is one that addresses the cravings and symptoms of withdrawal while providing alternate coping mechanisms.