Tobacco Facts

Smoking is one of the most damaging things you can do to your health and to the health of others. The facts are astounding and difficult to refute. Educate yourself and then learn more about Smoking Cessation on campus.

1. On average, the life expectancy of a smoker is 10 years less than a nonsmoker.
2. Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, 70 of which are known to cause cancer.
3. Nearly 9 out of 10 smokers start before the age of 18 and almost all start smoking by age 26.
4. Every day, more than 3,200 children and teens under 18 years old smoke their first cigarette. (There are also 2,100 young adults who turn into daily smokers each day.)
5. For every person who dies from a smoking-related disease, 20 more people suffer from a smoking-related illness.
6. Smoking and tobacco use cause more than 5 million deaths per year worldwide. Current trends show that this will increase to more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030.
7. Smoking is responsible for about 1 in 5 deaths annually in the United States. (That means tobacco causes about 480,000 deaths per year—and 41,000 of those deaths are because of exposure to secondhand smoke).
8. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and lung diseases (including emphysema, bronchitis and chronic airway obstruction).
9. Smokers typically inhale about 1 milligram (mg) of nicotine in a single cigarette.4 For some, that’s all it takes to become addicted.
10. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the world.