Health and Economic Benefits of Tobacco Use Interventions

AT A GLANCE

• Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.
• The annual cost of smoking-related disease and death is over $600 billion.
• CDC promotes efforts to prevent young people from starting to smoke, create smokefree public spaces, and help smokers quit.

CDC

Why Say No to Tobacco?

Using commercial tobacco is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Here’s why quitting or avoiding tobacco can significantly improve your health and well-being:

1. Protect Your Body: Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ in your body. It is a major cause of:

• Cancer: Smoking can lead to cancers of the lungs, mouth, throat, esophagus, and more.
• Heart Disease: Tobacco use increases the risk of heart attacks and other heart-related conditions.
• Stroke: Smoking doubles the risk of having a stroke.
• Lung Diseases: This includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are parts of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Type 2 Diabetes: Smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-smokers.

2. Protect Your Loved Ones: Even if you don’t smoke, secondhand smoke can be equally harmful to those around you. It can cause:

• Stroke, Lung Cancer, and Heart Disease: Non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk.
• Harm to Children: Kids exposed to secondhand smoke face an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), lung function impairment, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, and more severe asthma attacks.

Take a Stand for Health: By quitting or avoiding tobacco, you’re not only protecting yourself but also ensuring a healthier environment for your friends and family. Making this choice can lead to a longer, healthier life filled with more active and fulfilling days. Take the first step towards a tobacco-free life today—for yourself and for those you care about.

The high cost of tobacco use

Cigarette smoking cost the United States more than $600 billion in 2018,7 including:

• More than $240 billionA in health care spending.8
• Nearly $185 billionA in lost productivity from smoking-related illnesses and health conditions.8
• Nearly $180 billionA in lost productivity from smoking-related premature death.8
• $7 billionB in lost productivity from premature death from secondhand smoke exposure.

Choosing to avoid or quit tobacco is one of the most impactful decisions you can make for your health and the well-being of those around you. By saying no to tobacco, you are protecting yourself from numerous life-threatening diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung diseases, while also safeguarding your loved ones from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Embrace a healthier, more vibrant life by taking a stand against tobacco—your future self and your family will thank you.

The tobacco flavor ban in Minnesota can save lives by reducing the appeal of tobacco products, especially among youth, thereby preventing the initiation of smoking. This measure promotes healthier communities by decreasing tobacco-related diseases and secondhand smoke exposure, leading to a significant improvement in public health outcomes.

Seek support by calling: 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.quitpartnermn.com

Asian Smokers Quit Line:

• 1-800-838-8917 (中文 (Chinese) [Cantonese & Mandarin])

• 1-800-556-5564 (한국어 [Korean])

• 1-800-778-8440 (Tiếng Việt [Vietnamese])

Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/priorities/tobacco-use.html