Cigarette Smoking-Related Mortality

Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Each year, more than 400,000 Americans die from cigarette smoking. In fact, one in every five deaths in the United States is smoking related. Every year, smoking kills more than 276,000 men and 142,000 women.¹

• Between 1960 and 1990, deaths from lung cancer among women have increased by more than 400%—exceeding breast cancer deaths in the mid-1980s.² The American Cancer Society estimated that in 1994, 64,300 women died from lung cancer and 44,300 died from breast cancer.³
• Men who smoke increase their risk of death from lung cancer by more than 22 times and from bronchitis and emphysema by nearly 10 times. Women who smoke increase their risk of dying from lung cancer by nearly 12 times and the risk of dying from bronchitis and emphysema by more than 10 times. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among middle-aged men and women.¹
• Every year in the United States, premature deaths from smoking rob more than five million years from the potential lifespan of those who have died.¹
• Annually, exposure to secondhand smoke (or environmental tobacco smoke) causes an estimated 3,000 deaths from lung cancer among American adults.⁴ Scientific studies also link secondhand smoke with heart disease.

Source: CDC, Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity, and Economic Costs (SAMMEC online report)

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette Smoking-Attributable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost—United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online]. 1993;42(33):645–649 [accessed 2006 Sep 23].
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mortality Trends for Selected Smoking-Related Cancers and Breast Cancer—United States, 1950–1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online]. 1993;42(44):857,863–866 [accessed 2006 Sep 23].
3. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures—1996. Atlanta (GA): American Cancer Society, 1996 [accessed 2006 Sep 23].
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Washington (DC): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development. EPA/600/6–90/006F. December 1992 [accessed 2006 Sep 23].

For Further Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO

Media Inquiries: Contact CDC's Office on Smoking and Health press line at 770-488-5493.