Aside from the obvious, immediate dangers to smokers---heart disease and cancer chief among them---smoking affects those who don't smoke as well. Secondhand smoke and increased healthcare costs turn many non-smokers into collateral damage, while those who smoke may be taking time off their lives with every pack they inhale.
Smoking is Deadly
Cigarette smoking kills 440,000 Americans annually---or 50 Americans every hour of every day---according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average life span of a non-smoker is 12 years longer than that of the typical smoker, says the CDC. The two main culprits are heart disease and cancer, the latter of which can be caused by any of 60 different chemical compounds that are produced by tobacco smoke. Smokers account for 87 percent of all cases of lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And the National Cancer Institute says smokers are six times more likely to suffer heart attacks than non-smokers.
Secondhand Smoke is Also Dangerous
Many people affected by cigarettes are those who have chosen to abstain from smoking. The National Cancer Institute reports that more than 40,000 non-smoking Americans die every year from heart attacks caused by cigarette smoke---along with 4,000 more from lung cancer. And there are many instances of lesser, but still problematic ailments suffered by non-smokers. For instance, many children suffer from lung ailments, frequent colds and other medical issues due to living in a smoking environment.
Financial Effects
Smokers not only lose their good health to smoking, but also their money. A pack-a-day smoker spends around $2,000 a year on cigarettes, in addition to lost value on cars and homes that have been smoked in. In the workplace, there's the need for frequent smoke breaks which, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, costs the U.S. economy nearly $100 billion in lost productivity. Finally, there are the effects on healthcare costs. Many employers, according to the CDC, have responded to rising insurance costs by charging increased rates to smokers. And overall, smoking costs U.S. consumers more than $75 million in health insurance premiums yearly, according to the CDC.
