United States Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona today released a comprehensive new report on smoking and health, revealing for the first time that smoking causes disease in almost every part of the body. all in the body. Released 40 years after the first report of the Surgeon General on smoking - which concluded that smoking is the cause of three serious diseases - this new report found that smoking is associated with diseases such as leukemia, cataracts, pneumonia and cancer of the cervix, kidney. , pancreas and stomach.
"We've known for decades that smoking is bad for your health, but this report shows it's worse than we knew," Dr Carmona said. "Toxins from cigarette smoke go wherever the blood goes. I hope this new information will help motivate people to stop smoking and convince young people not to start in the first place. "
According to the report, smoking kills about 440,000 Americans every year. On average, male smokers shorten their lives by 13.2 years and female smokers lose 14.5 years. That economic figure is more than $157 billion annually in the United States, which includes $75 billion in direct drug costs and $82 billion in lost productivity. "We must reduce smoking in this country and around the world," said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. "Smoking is the main cause of death and disease, costing us many lives, a lot of money and many tears. If we care about improving health and preventing disease, we must continue to reduce smoking. . We must also prevent our youth from developing this dangerous habit."
In 1964, the Journal of the Surgeon General announced medical research showing that smoking is the cause of cancer of the lungs and larynx (throat box) in men and chronic bronchitis in both men and women. Later reports concluded that smoking causes many other diseases such as cancer of the bladder, esophagus, mouth and throat; heart disease; and fertility effects. Today's new report, The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report from the Surgeon General, expands the list of diseases and conditions related to smoking. These new diseases and conditions are cataract, pneumonia, acute myeloid leukemia, abdominal aortic aneurysm, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, cervical cancer, kidney and periodontitis. Statistics show that more than 12 million Americans have died from smoking since the Surgeon General's 1964 report, and another 25 million Americans alive today may die from smoking-related diseases.
The release of this report comes ahead of World No Tobacco Day, an annual event on May 31 that draws global attention to the health risks associated with smoking. The purpose of World No Tobacco Day is to raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco use, encourage people to stop using tobacco, motivate workers to quit, and encourage countries to implement comprehensive tobacco control programs. .
The report concluded that smoking reduces the health of smokers, contributing to conditions such as hip fractures, diabetes complications, increased wound infections after surgery and many reproductive problems. . For the premature death caused by smoking each year, at least 20 smokers suffer from serious diseases related to smoking.
Another key finding, consistent with recent findings from other scientific studies, is that smoking so-called low-tar or low-nicotine cigarettes does not provide any health benefits over regular smoking. all or "low tar" cigarettes. "There is no such thing as a safe cigarette, whether it's called 'light,' ultra-light, 'or any other name,'" Dr. Carmona said. \"The science is clear: the only way to avoid the health risks of smoking is to quit smoking completely or never start smoking.\"
The report concludes that quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits, reducing the risk of diseases caused by smoking and improving overall health. "Within minutes and hours after a smoker takes their last cigarette, their body begins a series of changes that continue for years," Dr. Carmona said. "Among these health improvements are reduced heart rate, better circulation and reduced risk of heart attack, lung cancer and stroke. By quitting smoking today, a smoker can ensure a better tomorrow."
Dr. Carmona said it's never too late to quit smoking. Quitting smoking at age 65 or older reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by nearly 50%.
