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About 32.4 million American adults still smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world.

Smoking causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year, accounting for about one in five deaths, and more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.

Smoking causes various illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year. Secondhand smoke causes stroke, lung cancer and coronary heart disease in adults.

Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma, respiratory symptoms and slowed lung growth.

E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens and young adults.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.

E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine. Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

In the United States, youth are more likely than adults to use e-cigarettes.

In 2020, 3.6 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, including 4.7 percent of middle school students and 19.6 percent of high school students. This represents a decrease from 2019.

In 2018, 3.2 percent of U.S. adults were current e-cigarette users.

In 2015, among current adult e-cigarette users overall, 58.8 percent also currently smoked cigarettes, 29.8 percent formerly smoked cigarettes, and 11.4 percent had never smoked cigarettes.

Among current e-cigarette users age 45 years and older in 2015, most either currently smoked cigarettes or previously smoked cigarettes, while 1.3 percent had never smoked cigarettes. In contrast, among current e-cigarette users aged 18 to 24 years, 40 percent had never smoked cigarettes.

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time and a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one.

Join thousands of individuals as they embark on a smoke-free journey during the Great American Smoke out, which is the third Thursday of every November.

This year, the Great American Smoke Out will occur Nov. 19.

Tobacco addiction is both mental and physical. For most people, the best way to quit will be some combination of medicine, a method to change personal habits,and emotional support.

There are several options for support with quitting tobacco:

• 1-800-Quit-Now

QuitNowKentucky.org

All Ages eligible

• Freedom from Smoking

www.freedomfromsmoking.org

Ages 18 and up

• My Life, My Quit

1-855-891-9989

MyLifeMyQuit.com

Ages 17 and under

• This is Quitting

Text Kentucky to 88709

Ages 13-24

(For Vaping/E-Cigarette Support only)

Clark County Health Department provides programs for the entire family, including WIC, HANDS, family planning and well-child care/immunizations. For more information, call 859-744-4482 or visit www.clarkhealthdept.org.