Tobacco Prevention

Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. The health consequences of tobacco use include heart disease, multiple types of cancer, pulmonary disease, adverse reproductive effects, and the exacerbation of chronic health conditions. Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including an estimated 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.

The Toll of Tobacco

• 27.9% of high school students use at least one tobacco product.
• Youth experimentation with e-cigarettes has increased 22% since 2015.
• Half of high school students have tried e-cigarettes and nearly 1 in 4 youth are current users.
• Among youth who currently used e-cigarettes, 31% were also current smokers.
• 19.9% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2019.

The Health Impact of Tobacco in Tennessee (https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/tennessee-tobacco-program/ttp/about-ttp.html#collapseaf43e473d91f45c7b484b1cb981583a2-3)

• 32.9% of cancer deaths in Tennessee attributed to smoking.
• 11,400 adults die from smoking-related illnesses each year.
• 125,000 youth currently under 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking.

Quitting tobacco is hard. Finding help is easy.

Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).