Health Risks of Tobacco Use
Single Most Preventable Cause
Most Preventable
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States.
Cancer Classification and Death Toll
Tobacco Smoke Carcinogen
Tobacco smoke is a Class "A" carcinogen and is estimated to cause 480,000 deaths per year.
Secondhand Smoke
Of those, approximately 41,000 are from secondhand smoke exposure.
Smokeless Tobacco
28 Carcinogens in Smokeless
Smokeless tobacco contains 28 different cancer-causing agents (carcinogens).
Oral Cancers from Tobacco
Oral Cancer Statistics
Oral cancers from tobacco products affect 30,000 people annually, and one person dies every hour because of this disease.
Five-Year Survival
Only 50 percent of persons are alive at five years after diagnosis.
Effects on Body Systems
In addition to several forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease, tobacco use affects all bodily systems.
Performance Impacts
Performance Decreases
Tobacco use decreases:
- Endurance
- Night vision
- Fine motor coordination (the coordination needed to hold a weapon steady)
Risk Increases
Risk Increases
Tobacco use:
- Increases the risk of injuries (such as fractures)
- Poses post-operative respiratory complications
- Impairs (or slows) wound healing
Disease Risk Multipliers
Tobacco Risk Multipliers.
- Coronary heart disease and stroke — risk 2 to 4 times higher
- Lung cancer (men and women developing it) — risk approximately 25 times higher