Health effects of smoking tobacco
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide.
Smoking tobacco has serious negative effects on human health and is the greatest cause of preventable death globally. Half of tobacco smokers die from complications related to smoking, and active smokers are estimated to die an average of 10 years earlier than non-smokers. The World Health Organization estimates that, annually, more than 7 million people die from tobacco-related causes, including 1.6 million non-smokers due to passive smoking, with 100 million deaths attributed to tobacco in the 20th century. Tobacco smoke contains over 70 carcinogens, chemicals that cause cancer, as well as nicotine, a highly addictive psychoactive drug that creates physical and psychological dependency. Cigarettes sold in least developed countries often have higher tar content and are less likely to be filtered, increasing vulnerability to related diseases in those regions.
Smoking most commonly leads to diseases affecting the heart, liver, and lungs. It is a major risk factor for pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (including emphysema and chronic bronchitis), and multiple cancers—particularly lung cancer, cancers of the larynx and mouth, bladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer. It also causes peripheral arterial disease and high blood pressure. The effects vary based on how frequently and for how many years a person smokes; smoking earlier in life and smoking cigarettes with higher tar content increases risk. Passive smoke and third-hand smoke also cause harmful health effects in people of all ages. Among pregnant women who smoke, tobacco use is a significant risk factor for miscarriages and contributes to premature birth, low birth weight, and a 1.4 to 3 times greater chance of sudden infant death syndrome. Men who smoke have an approximately 85 percent higher incidence of erectile dysfunction.
The medical community initially accepted the idea that tobacco use caused certain diseases, including mouth cancers, in the late 1700s and 1800s. Automation in the 1880s dramatically reduced cigarette costs, and marketing expanded. From the 1890s, associations with cancers and vascular disease were regularly reported. By the 1930s, multiple researchers concluded that tobacco use caused cancer and shortened lives. Further studies were published in Germany in 1939 and 1943, and in the Netherlands in 1948. Widespread attention came in 1950 from r
- annual deaths from tobacco-related cause
- more than 7 million
- average years of life lost for active sm
- 10 years
- carcinogens in tobacco smoke
- over 70
- increase in erectile dysfunction risk fo
- approximately 85%
- increase in SIDS risk for infants of smo
- 1.4 to 3 times
Lore & Background
Smoking tobacco has severe negative effects on human health and is the leading preventable cause of death globally. Approximately half of all tobacco smokers die from complications related to their habit, and active smokers die on average ten years earlier than non-smokers. The World Health Organization estimates that over seven million people die annually from tobacco-related causes, including 1.6 million non-smokers who die from passive smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than seventy chemicals known as carcinogens, which cause cancer, along with nicotine, a highly addictive psychoactive drug that creates physical and psychological dependency. Cigarettes sold in least developed countries often have higher tar content and are less likely to be filtered, increasing vulnerability to related diseases in those regions. Smoking most commonly leads to diseases of the heart, liver, and lungs, and is a major risk factor for pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (including emphysema and chronic bronchitis), and multiple cancers—particularly lung cancer, cancers of the larynx and mouth, bladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer. It also causes peripheral arterial disease and high blood pressure. The effects vary by frequency and duration of smoking; smoking earlier in life and using higher-tar cigarettes increases risk. Passive smoke and third-hand smoke also harm people of all ages. Among pregnant women, smoking is a significant risk factor for miscarriages, premature birth, low birth weight, and increases the chance of sudden infant death syndrome by 1.4 to 3 times. Men who smoke have an approximately 85 percent higher incidence of erectile dysfunction compared to non-smokers. Many countries have implemented measures such as warning labels on packaging, smoking bans in public places, and tobacco taxation to reduce consumption.
Reader's Guide
Follow-up studies in the early 1950s found that people who smoked died faster and were more likely to die of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. These results were accepted in the medical community and publicized among the general public in the mid-1960s. Many countries have since taken measures to control tobacco consumption by restricting usage and sales, printing warning messages on packaging, enacting smoking bans in public places, and imposing tobacco taxation. The health effects of smoking vary depending on frequency and duration, with cigarettes sold in least developed countries having higher tar content and less filtration, increasing vulnerability to related diseases.
Did You Know?
- Tobacco smoke contains over 70 chemicals known as carcinogens that cause cancer.
- Half of tobacco smokers die from complications related to smoking.
- The World Health Organization estimates that annually more than 7 million people die from tobacco-related causes, including 1.6 million non-smokers due to passive smoking.
- Smoking earlier in life and smoking cigarettes with higher tar content increases the risk of disease.
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