Smoking Statistics

Statistics show that smoking has dangerous health effects for both smokers and nonsmokers. It is the leading cause of preventable disease.

History

• There were an estimated 12 million people that died between 1964 and 2004 because of cigarette smoking. During that time, 94,000 infants also died because of exposure in the womb.

Significance

• Each year, around 400,000 deaths happen prematurely because of smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention.

Identification

• A person that smokes 30 cigarettes a day, or 1 ½ packs, is receiving an average of 300 hits of nicotine each day.

Considerations

• There are about 38,000 deaths caused by secondhand smoke each year. Nonsmokers increase their risk of lung cancer and heart disease by as much as 30 percent by being exposed to secondhand smoke on a consistent basis.

Warning

• Smoking and secondhand smoke quickens the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries. This process usually happens as you age. It also can speed up the process of aging or cause premature aging. Smoking can cause wrinkles because it effects blood flow to the skin and depletes oxygen and important nutrients.