TOBACCO

Health Statistics

More than 440,000 Americans die each year from smoking. Smoking causes illnesses such as cancer, heart and lung disease, stroke, and problems with pregnancy.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tobacco use 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 direct medical costs. Tobacco Use Statistic 2006.

Nationally, smoking results in more than 5.6 million years of potential life lost each year. Approximately 80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Every day, nearly 4,000 young people under the age of 18 try their first cigarette.

More than 6.4 million children living today will die prematurely because of a decision they will make as adolescents - the decision to smoke cigarettes.

Tobacco Use

Middle School Students

  • The 1999 National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted from September through October by the American Legacy Foundation, in a joint project with the CDC Foundation, estimates that about one in eight (12.8 percent) middle school students reported using some form of tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless, cigars, pipes, bidis, or kreteks) in the past month.
     

  • Current cigarette use among middle school students was 9.2 percent - 9.6 percent males and 8.8 percent for females.
     

  • The rate of smoking among middle school students by race/ethnic groups was relatively equal, with about one in ten African American (9.0 percent), white (8.8 percent) and Hispanic (11.0 percent) middle school students reporting smoking cigarettes in the past month.
     

  • Cigar use was the second most preferred tobacco product used in middle school, with 6.1 percent of students reporting smoking cigars in the past month. African American middle school students (8.8 percent) were significantly more likely to smoke cigars than white students (4.9 percent).
     

  • Current smokeless tobacco prevalence among middle school students was 2.7 percent - 4.2 percent for males and 1.3 percent for females.
     

  • Pipe tobacco use among middle school students was 2.4 percent - 3.5 percent for males and 1.4 percent for females.
     

  • Current use of novel tobacco products, such as bidis (or beedies) and kreteks (also called clove cigarettes) was 2.4 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively, among middle school students. There was no statistically significant difference in bidis use among race/ethnic groups (1.8 percent for white), (2.8 percent for African American), and (3.5 percent for Hispanics) and kreteks use (1.7 percent for white), (1.7 percent for African American), and (2.1 percent for Hispanics) among middle school students.

Tobacco Use in the United States

Since the release of the first Surgeon General's Report in 1964, the scientific knowledge about the health consequences of tobacco use has greatly increased. It is now well documented that smoking cigarettes causes chronic lung and heart disease, and cancer of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, and bladder. Cigarette smoking contributes to cancer of the pancreas, kidney, and cervix. Consequences of using smokeless tobacco include cancer of the gum, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. The Health Consequences of Smoking on the Human Body.

Studies have also demonstrated that women who use tobacco during pregnancy are more likely to have adverse birth outcomes, including low birth weight babies. Low birth weight is a leading cause of death among infants.

Studies also indicate that nonsmokers are adversely affected by environmental tobacco smoke. Researchers have identified more than 4,800 chemical compounds in tobacco smoke; of these, at least 69 cause cancer in humans and animals. Each year, because of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, an estimated 3,000 nonsmoking Americans die of lung cancer, and 300,000 children suffer from lower respiratory tract infections.

Particularly alarming is the fact that more than 3 million young people under age 18 smoke half a billion cigarettes each year and that more than one-half of them consider themselves dependent upon cigarettes. The decision to use tobacco is nearly always made in the teen years, and about one-half of young people usually continue to use tobacco products as adults. Current Cigarette Smoking by Grade in School 1975-2001 and Deaths related to Cigarette Smoking.

What you should know about tobacco

Tobacco and Athletic Performance

  • Don't get trapped. Nicotine in cigarettes, cigars, and spit tobacco is addictive.

  • Nicotine narrows your blood vessels and puts added strain on your heart.

  • Smoking can wreck lungs and reduce oxygen available for muscles used during sports.

  • Smokers suffer shortness of breath (gasp!) almost 3 times more often than nonsmokers.

  • Smokers run slower and can't run as far, affecting overall athletic performance.

  • Cigars and spit tobacco are NOT safe alternatives.

Tobacco and Personal Appearance

  • Yuck! Tobacco smoke can make hair and clothes stink.

  • Tobacco stains teeth and causes bad breath.

  • Short-term use of spit tobacco can cause cracked lips, white spots, sores, and bleeding in the mouth.

  • Surgery to remove oral cancers caused by tobacco use can lead to serious changes in the face.

  • If you smoke, your cigarette isn't the only thing that burns up! Poisons in cigarette smoke age your skin and dry it out, causing wrinkles. Smoking not only robs your health, it makes you look older than you otherwise would.

S0. . .

  • Know the truth. Despite all the tobacco use on TV and in movies, music videos, billboards and magazines - most teens, adults, and athletes DON'T use tobacco.

  • Make friends, develop athletic skills, control weight, be independent, be cool ... play sports.

  • Don't waste (burn) money on tobacco. Spend it on CD's, clothes, computer games, and movies.

  • Get involved: make your team, school, and home tobacco-free; teach others; join community efforts to prevent tobacco use.