Tobacco Smoke: The Most Leading Cause Of Preventable Death

Smoking is the single highest cause of preventable death in America and puts users at significantly greater risk for disease compared to the rest of the population. Tobacco use costs the U.S. more than 289 billion dollars annually in medical expenses and lost productivity (Surgeon General, 2014). The problems associated with smoking are due in part to its addictiveness. Nicotine is the addictive substance found in tobacco and its chemical dependence is as strong as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol (CDC, 2014). Getting all smokers to quit entirely is not realistic due to nicotine’s addictive characteristics.

Healthy People 2020 describes some of the harmful effects caused by tobacco. Those causes outlined are cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung diseases, reproductive effects, and many other diseases. (2017) These harmful effects are direct to the smoker but are also harmful secondhand to those who because subjected to the smoke. Children are especially exposed to secondhand smoke as they have limited control in escaping from it. Diseased commonly caused and also discussed in Healthy People 2020 are “severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)” (2017) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services posted an article with the Surgeon General, titled, The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress.; outlined in

Smoking is the number one preventable risk and cause of disease and death. Tobacco kills more people than car crashes, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and alcohol, drugs, suicides and murders combined, and effects smokers and nonsmokers alike. A nonsmoker on average lives 13 to 14 years longer than a smoker does. Although we have made strides in reducing the prevalence of smoking in the country, it is still an important problem that continues to cause morbidity and mortality. Secondhand smoke exposure also affects nonsmokers and causes lung cancer. When children are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, mostly in the predominant location of the home, smoking increases their incidence of asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear infections, and respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis.

Cigarette smoking has been well documented to cause a wide range of health conditions such as heart diseases and respiratory problems and it is a major risk factor for getting various kind of cancers (Simpson & Nonnemaker, 2013). Besides illness and death, there are several research evidences presenting that cigarette smoking results in less productive life years and accountable for mounting unwanted medical costs. Globally, the preventable deaths caused by tobacco smoking accounts for over 6 million deaths yearly (Wilson et al., 2012). Currently, there are over 1 billion smokers in the world and over 80% of these smokers are living in low and middle income countries (Wilson et al., 2012). This figure is likely to increase to more than 8 million deaths a year by 2030. Sadly, this numbers only communicates that more than 80% of the deaths will be occurring in the developing world.

The Institute of Medicine found that children, who are born between 2000 and 2019, would suffer 249,000 fewer premature deaths and 45,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer, when the legal age to purchase tobacco is increased from 18 to 21 years old (atg.wa.gov 2016). Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S, which causes many chronic health complications such as heart disease, cancer, and lung disease (atg.wa.gov 2016). Raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 21 in Washington state will decrease the use later in adult life specifically, ages 15 to 17 who are targeted the most through tobacco companies due to their vulnerability and gives loyalty to a specific tobacco company from the addiction of nicotine. Needham, Massachusetts campaigned to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 in 2005 and won. Results are already compelling, showing that between 2006 and 2012 Needham’s high school smoking rate dropped more than half among girls and boys (atg.wa.gov 2016). Given that nicotine can be such an addictive drug and be seen to be used as a coping mechanism, specifically ages 15 to 17 through their developing stages of life, needs to encounter harder access to get their hands on tobacco products. According to the Center of Disease Control, one in 13 Americans age 17 or younger alive today are estimated to die prematurely due to the effects of smoking (atg.wa.gov 2016). Raising the legal age to

Smoking cessation is the process of quitting tobacco smoking. Studies have shown that smoking is a preventable cause of death worldwide. The ability to quit tobacco has immediate and long term health benefits for all users. By quitting, there is a significant reduction from the risk of death that comes from tobacco-related diseases, most notably, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, difficulty breathing, or chronic obstructive airways disease, as well as tumors of the mouth, throat, esophagus, lungs and bladder. Other neoplastic and respiratory causes of death affect neonates and infants secondary to maternal smoking, cigarette-caused fires and second hand smoke.

The first review was from an article in The New England Journal of Medicine called: “Smoking and Mortality — Beyond Established Causes” written by several physicians. (Carter, 2015) It explains how the mortality rates are higher among recent smokers than people who have never smoked. This seems to be attributed to the 21 common diseases that maybe caused by cigarette smoking. Data was collected from group studies in the United States that followed smokers and non-smokers between 2000 and 2011. A study that included men and women who were age 55 or older. As a result, they found that the participant’s mortality rates were higher due to diseases that had not been formally recognized as being triggered by cigarette smoking.

Cigarette smoking is responsible for 443,000 deaths each year according to the Tobacco and Smoking book (Opposing Viewpoints Series 2015.) It is also the most preventable cause of death. Whether it be from all the chemicals going through the smokers body when they take a drag, or the smoke coming out of the smoker and other people breathing that it, smoking cigarettes is deadly for everyone. When a person lights up that cigarette, they are literally smoking their life away. There are so many effects on the body from smoking that start from the very first drag including the major one, lung cancer. By informing people on not only how smoking affects the smoker by telling the effects of it on the body, but how the smoke affects the innocent

In most cases, smoking is ongoing. Smoking have led to deaths and diseases within individuals. There are issues with the increased medical expense that are associated to smoking. Cigarette companies are gearing their advertisements towards the younger generation to reel in first-hand smokers. Tobacco industries have a large amount of money so they can afford lobbyists to do their biddings and secure their agenda. Furthermore, smokers know how hard it is to lie down their packs of cigarettes and quick smoking. They may recommend that the power of nicotine addiction: even if the individual wants to stop smoking, the addiction often upholds its overpowering.

A cigarette does not only shorten your life by puff, but also the life of your child. The use of tobacco "remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States” causing more than 440,000 deaths each year and resulting in an annual cost of more than $75 billion in medical expenses, says David Marks in his novel, Overcoming Your Smoking Habits. Nonetheless, what is not discussed is secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, also known as chronic lower respiratory disease. Secondhand smoke can affect a child mentally and physically, from diseases to learning disabilities, and post-traumatic stress. Children from birth to seven years of age are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke because their lungs are not fully developed. (Marks 3)

Smoking is one of Australia's leading causes of death and illnesses. Smoking claimed 14,900 deaths in 2004-05 alone. Employers should ban employees from smoking during the working day both inside and outside the environment. Smoking is unhygienic, can effect job performance and cause illnesses. If all of these factors are caused by cigarettes why is it still allowed in the workplace environment?

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the world. Although this lifestyle practice usually warrants a person’s conscious choice to inhale toxic fumes, more than the sole individual are affected by this habit. Passive or involuntary smoking results when bystanders are collaterally forced to also breathe in a product containing at least 70 carcinogens and 7000 chemicals, as a consequence of another person’s smoking (American Cancer Society, 2015). Evidence suggests secondhand smoking (SHS) can lead to “lung, larynx, pharynx, nasal sinuses, brain, bladder, rectum, stomach, and breast cancers” in adults, even though they never smoked firsthand. Although the severity of health abnormalities and illnesses vary due to exposure, the gravity of the repercussions of SHS cannot remain disregarded. The American Cancer Society proposes that due to a child’s pivotal physical, mental, and emotional development, they are “most affected by SHS and least able to avoid it” (2015). In addition to the impediment of a child’s development, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is potentially linked to the development of “lymphoma, leukemia, liver cancer, brain tumors, asthma, infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)” (American Cancer Society, 2015). ETS is literally a grave dilemma plaguing nations.

Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease. One cigarette contains over 4000 chemicals, and people still choose to smoke it. Smoking can cause many diseases and illnesses that can certainly lead to death varying on the case. Tobacco blackens the lungs and hurts the health of others nearby. It also takes away all of their money for other items. Quitting smoking will benefit them with better health, they won’t give others secondhand smoke, and they will have more spending money. In order to get started, I recommend them to quit on their own, or find a hobby they like to do.

Everyday occurrences in our life become normal we don’t take a second glance. We are surrounded by smoking day to day everywhere we go even if we don’t smoke it affects us. It has been in our society for generations. Families have grown up with family members that smoke or even smoking themselves. Smoking is a large part of our society spending billions while boosting the economy with sales and ads; in the midst of so much negativity surrounding smoking which is it good or bad? We hear the negatives all the time but upsides to smoking are never discussed.

Ever wonder what is Tobacco? What is it made of? How is it harmful? Smoking tobacco is the process of inhaling smoke, Smoking tobacco is inhaled through the mouth. Tobacco is a plant that grows in warm, tropical areas. Smoking tobacco originated around 5000 B.C. in the Peruvian Andes. On October 15, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered tobacco. Christopher Columbus brought the tobacco leaves that were dried from the Indians, Indians gave Christopher Columbus the plant as a nice gesture and a thank you. Soon after Columbus brought the plant back to Europe, the plant was popular and started to be planted in Europe. When tobacco first came around many people believed that it could cure-all, it was used to dress wounds and as a painkiller! A doctor from Spain, Nicolas Monardes, wrote a book claiming that tobacco could cure thirty-six health problems. Tobacco is most commonly used to make cigarettes. Nicotine is the main chemical in tobacco, this makes tobacco so addictive, one cigarette contains 4,000 chemicals. Tobacco raises one’s heart rate and blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Tobacco is the leading cause of illness and death in America. Smoking tobacco pollutes the air, affects your appearance/causes death and it cost a smoker a large amount of money in one lifetime.