According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking accounts for approximately one of every five deaths in the U.S every year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reveals that 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths in men, and 80 percent of all lung cancer deaths in women are caused by smoking. Smoking tobacco causes risk to the health of nonsmokers as well. In U.S. alone, about 38,000 people die each year due to passive smoking.
Why People Smoke
People smoke for a number of reasons that are largely social or psychological in nature. Teenagers smoke because they believe it makes them look cool. Some people resort to smoking in adult age when they believe smoking might relieve them of mental or emotional stress. Nicotine, the key ingredient in cigarette smoke, induces a feeling of euphoria which ultimately leads the smoker to become addicted to it.
Internal research documents from cigarette manufacturer Phillip Morris points to reasons that some people might be more likely to become addicted than others. Cited in a 2007 report from the European Network for Smoking Prevention, these documents acknowledged as far back as 1969 that cigarette smoking is more often a habit among more responsive, more excitable, more anxious people than among less responsive or calmer people.
Health Implications
Smoking is a major reason for development of coronary heart disease. The U.S. Surgeon General's report in 2004 on the "Health Consequences of Smoking" states that compared to nonsmokers, risk of coronary heart disease in smokers is two to four times higher. Emphysema, bronchitis, respiratory diseases, infertility and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), in addition to several types of cancers, are other major health hazards.
Health Care Costs
Smoking is one of the leading contributors to the burden of health care costs in the United States. The loss of productive man-hours due to smoking related illnesses places a high burden on the economy. Estimates by TobaccoFreeKids.org show that health care and associated costs related tobacco smoking are up to $101 in the U.S. as of May 2010.
How to Quit Smoking
A smoker should seek professional help from various social and medical organizations that assist smokers to quit the habit. The CDC lists several such options. A smoker must also enlist the active support of the family members and friends to encourage quitting the habit. Substitutes such as chewing gum, peppermints and lozenges should be used alternatively.
Benefits of Quitting
The CDC states that quitting smoking increases overall life expectancy due to reduced risk of smoking-related diseases. Soon after quitting, the body gradually begins to revitalize and repair itself. Quitting before the age of 50 significantly reduces the risk of dying due to age-related problems as well as from heart and lung diseases and cancer. The sexual health of the person also improves.
