The 1982 United States Surgeon General’s report stated that “Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality [death] in the United States .” This statement is as true today as it was then.
Tobacco use is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. Because cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviors − activities that people choose to do – smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society.
- Who smokes cigarettes?
- What kinds of illness and death are caused by smoking cigarettes?
- Are any types of cigarettes safe to smoke?
- What you can do
- To learn more