Smoking Cessation

 

If you currently smoke then there's never been a better time to quit than right now! Tobacco use has become very expensive in today's world, but an even more concerning aspect of smoking is the health consequences that come with it. Smoking CAN be beat though, and many have done just that, so don't give up hope just yet.

 

Smoking Facts

Smoking is definitely dangerous for your health, everybody knows that. But let's take a look at some statistics to put this in perspective:

  • As of 2013 it is estimated that 17.8% over the age of 18 still smoke in the U.S.1
  • Smoking is responsible for approximately 480,000 deaths annually in the U.S., including being the primary cause of 30% of all cancer deaths and 80% of all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths.1,2
  • Approximately 41,000 deaths per year in the U.S. are due to secondhand smoke exposure.2
  • Smokers die an average of 10 years sooner than non-smokers.3
  • Pack a day smokers spend on average $2,011.15 a year on cigarrettes in the U.S.4
  • Smoking has annual costs of $300 billion dollars a year in the U.S., including $156 billion in lost productivity and $170 billion in direct medical costs.2,5
  • Approximately 40% of those who smoke also suffer from depression according to a 2010 survey.6

 

Resources To Help Quit

Numbers sure make it easy to see why you should quit smoking, but they definitely don't make quitting easier. If you're like 68.9% of other smokers who want to quit then there are plenty of resources out there to help you.2 Please check out the links below to get the support you need in your quest to finally stop smoking:

 

References:
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2005–2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2014;63(47):1108–12 [accessed 2015 June 1].
2 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General.Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014 [accessed 2015 June 1].
3 Jha P, Ramasundarahettige C, Landsman V, et al. 21st Century Hazards of Smoking and Benefits of Cessation in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine 2013;368:341–50.
4 American Lung Association. Smoking Cessation: The Economic Benefits - All U.S. States Facts. Available: http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/tobacco-control-advocacy/reports-resources/cessation-economic-benefits/states/united-states.html. Accessed 2015 June 1.
5 Xu X, Bishop EE, Kennedy SM, Simpson SA, Pechacek TF. Annual Healthcare Spending Attributable to Cigarette Smoking: An Update. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2014;48(3):326–33.
6 Survey shows how depression and smoking intertwine. Reuters. By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor. Wed Apr 14, 2010.

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