Smoking cessation: New ways to quit.

By now, even the tobacco companies agree: smoking is bad for your health * very bad, in fact. Cigarettes are the most hazardous, but cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco also contribute to tobacco's terrible toll. And secondhand smoke is an important cause of death and disability in people who never light up.

We are making progress. Over 45 million Americans have quit, and many communities prohibit smoking in public places. But more than 20% of adults still smoke, and the habit remains more prevalent in men than women. Tragically, thousands of teenagers take up smoking every day.

We can do better. Fortunately, there are more ways to kick the habit than ever before.

The hazards of smoking

Tobacco is responsible for one of every five deaths in the U.*S. That adds up to over 435,000 lives lost each year, and over 8.5 million Americans suffer from chronic illnesses caused by smoking. All in all, the average nonsmoker lives about 14 years longer than the average smoker. And the worldwide burden is truly staggering. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking will kill about 650 million of the world's 1.3 billion smokers alive today.

Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease. About 20% of all cardiac deaths are caused by smoking.

Between 80% and 90% of all patients with emphysema owe their lung disease to smoking. Chronic bronchitis and pneumonia are among the other lung diseases that are increased in smokers.

And there's more. Smoking contributes to many other health problems, ranging from cataracts, sinusitis, and dental disorders to aging skin, heartburn, diabetes, osteoporosis, and two issues of special concern to men, bladder cancer and erectile dysfunction.

The more you smoke, the higher your risks * but even a few cigarettes a day will harm your health. "Light" and "low-tar" cigarettes are no safer than high-test brands. The only truly safe dose of tobacco is zero.

Secondhand smoke and community controls

More than 126 million nonsmoking Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke. Each year, about 3,000 of them die from lung cancer and about 35,000 to 60,000 die from heart disease caused by exposure to the more than 4,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke. And secondhand smoke also causes 150,000 to 300,000 respiratory infections in infants...

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