| Most of us know that smoking is indeed a habit that | | | | Among whites, 25.1 percent of men and 21.7 percent |
| can have many serious implications on our health but | | | | of women smoke |
| there is a tendency to view the problem lightly. It's | | | | Among black or African Americans, 27.6 percent of |
| important that every smoker be aware of the facts | | | | men and 18.0 percent of women smoke |
| concerning smoking and so I have included certain | | | | Among Hispanics/Latinos, 23.2 percent of men and |
| facts and figures that I hope will serve as eye | | | | 12.5 percent of women smoke |
| openers. | | | | Among Asians (only), 21.3 percent of men and 6.9 |
| I don't know how it is with you, but as far as I am | | | | percent of women smoke |
| concerned as soon as I have to look at statistics, my | | | | Among American Indians/Alaska Natives (only), 32.0 |
| eyes get bleary and something just turns off in my | | | | percent of men and 36.9 percent of women smoke |
| head. But for your own good I implore you to take a | | | | Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher |
| good look at the statistics given below, remember, it | | | | among those with 9-11 years of education (35.4 |
| could save your life. | | | | percent) compared with those with more than 16 |
| The World Health Organization has been studying | | | | years of education (11.6 percent). It's highest among |
| smoking trends and statistical patterns across the | | | | persons living below the poverty level (33.3 percent). |
| globe and has come up with the following statistics: | | | | And These Figures Spell Death... |
| Most smokers begin early in life, before they are 25 | | | | One out of every five deaths is caused by tobacco |
| years old. According to World Health Organization | | | | An average of 400,000 Americans die each year |
| studies, the majority of smokers in affluent countries | | | | from tobacco |
| begin in their teens. A decline in the age of starting | | | | Tobacco to blame for many serious pulmonary and |
| smoking has been observed worldwide. | | | | cardiovascular diseases |
| As a wannabe quitter, you're in excellent company. | | | | Tobacco and nicotine are some of the most potent |
| People all over the world are trying to quit and stay | | | | carcinogens and are to blame for a majority of all |
| away from cigarettes. There appears to be a | | | | cancers of the lung, trachea, bronchus, larynx, and |
| correlation between a country's standard of living, level | | | | esophagus |
| of education, and income and the number of people | | | | Tobacco use also produces cancers in the pancreas, |
| who have quit smoking. The more and better-informed | | | | kidney, bladder, and cervix |
| people are, the more likely they are to quit smoking. | | | | Impotency is sometimes to blame from addiction to |
| Current estimates are that over 1 billion people in the | | | | nicotine because of its ability to reduce blood flow |
| world smoke. (In other words, approximately one in | | | | Smoking is an important risk factor for respiratory |
| three adults on the planet smokes.) The majority of | | | | illnesses, causing 85,000 deaths per year from |
| these smokers reside in countries on the low end to | | | | pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive |
| the middle of the socioeconomic spectrum. Of this | | | | pulmonary disease and pneumonia |
| majority, about 80 percent live in low - and middle - | | | | Children and adolescents who are active smokers will |
| income countries. The total number of smokers | | | | have increasingly severe respiratory illness, as they |
| worldwide is expected to keep increasing. | | | | grow older |
| But are things in the USA any better? Not really, as | | | | Smoking during pregnancy causes about 5-6% of |
| you can see for yourself in the figures of National | | | | prenatal deaths, 17-26% of low-birth-weight births, and |
| Health Interview Survey (NHIS), Centers for Disease | | | | 7-10% of pre-term deliveries, and it increases the risk |
| Control and Prevention, National Center for Health | | | | of miscarriage and fetal growth retardation |
| Statistics. | | | | Cigarettes are responsible for about 25% of deaths |
| In the United States, an estimated 25.6 million men (25.2 | | | | from residential fires, causing nearly 1,000 fire-related |
| percent) and 22.6 million women (20.7 percent) are | | | | deaths and 3,300 injuries each year |
| smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart | | | | These are grave statistics and well worth heeding the |
| attack and stroke. The latest estimates for persons | | | | message of, which is to quit, now. |
| age 18 and older show... | | | | |