Health effects of smoking tobacco

Uncommon card · No. 179092

Smoking tobacco has serious negative effects on human health. Tobacco smoking is the greatest cause of preventable death globally. Half of tobacco smokers die from complications related to smoking. Active smokers are estimated to die an average of 10 years earlier than non-smokers. The World Health Organization estimates that, annually, more than 7 million people die from tobacco-related causes, including 1.6 million non-smokers due to passive smoking. It is further estimated to have caused 100 million deaths in the 20th century. Tobacco smoke contains over 70 chemicals, known as carcinogens, that cause cancer. It also contains nicotine, a highly addictive psychoactive drug. When tobacco is smoked, the nicotine causes physical and psychological dependency. Cigarettes sold in least developed countries have higher tar content and are less likely to be filtered, increasing vulnerability to tobacco smoking–related diseases in these regions. Tobacco use most commonly leads to diseases affecting...

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