Common Health Costs of Tobacco
- Tobacco is the only product you can legally buy in the United States that is likely to cause cancer if you use it.
- Stopping smoking is one of the best ways to prevent illness and death in the United States.
- Smoking related illnesses account for almost 20% of all deaths and more that 25% of all deaths in the 35-64 age group.
- People who smoke miss about 7 more days of work per year than people who don’t smoke.
- People who smoke go to the doctor about 6 more times a year than people who don’t smoke.
- People who live with smokers go to the doctor about 4 more times a year than people who live with nonsmokers.
- About 53,000 people die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke.
Cardiovascular (heart) Disease
- Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular or heart disease.
- Nonsmokers living with smokers have a 30% increase in the risk of death from heart disease.
- Smokeless tobacco (e.g. chew, dip) users are at increased risk for high blood pressure.
- Using smokeless tobacco increases heart rate.