your guide to:

The Dangers of Smoking

 what are the dangers of smoking?

Cigarette smoking is one the most preventable causes of premature death in the United States, accounting for more than 440,000 of more than 2.4 million annual deaths. There is no safe cigarette and no safe level of smoking. In addition to causing several types of cancer and other lung problems, smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, causing fatty buildups in arteries and atherosclerosis (clogged arteries). Atherosclerosis is the chief contributor to the high number of deaths from smoking. Smoking causes emphysema and lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, among both men and women. Since the mid-1990s, more than 150,000 Americans have died of the disease each year.

 is second-hand smoke dangerous?

Studies show that secondhand smoke can have harmful effects on nonsmokers and even cause them to develop diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease. Secondhand smoke may kill as many as 53,000 Americans yearly. About 35,000 of these deaths are from heart disease. Secondhand smoke at home increases the risk of death from heart disease by about 30 percent.