Smoking: A Global Epidemic
Alarmingly, 1 billion people worldwide are smokers, with 1,000 youth under 18 starting every day, equivalent to an entire high school. Tragically, 1 in 4 high school students smoke, and 80% will continue into adulthood, with half dying 13 years earlier than their peers.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, with cigarette smoke containing over 4,800 toxic chemicals. Shockingly, this results in a death every 6.5 seconds, with tobacco killing over 20 times more people than murder annually.
Secondhand smoke also poses a grave threat, exposing 88 million non-smokers, including 54% of children aged 3-11, to dangerous toxins like hydrogen cyanide, leading to 50,000 deaths per year.
Ultimately, the tobacco industry's relentless pursuit of profits ensures people remain addicted, with 6.3 trillion cigarettes produced annually - 900 for every person globally. The choice is clear: to save lives, don't smoke.
