Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.
Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 7 million deaths per year. If the pattern of smoking all over the globe doesn’t change, more than 8 million people a year will die from diseases related to tobacco use by 2030 (CDC Fast Facts)
Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including more than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. This is about one in five deaths annually, or 1,300 deaths every day (CDC Fast Facts).
In Porter County, there were 283 deaths attributable to smoking (see graphic below).
Historically, Indiana has ranked highly among all states in adult smoking prevalence. In 2018, Indiana had the 4th highest smoking prevalence among all states and the District of Columbia (Indiana Adult Smoking 2020).
21.1% of adults in Indiana smoke which is equal to 26,235 people (see graphic below).
Approximately 22.1% of Indiana high school students and 1.9% of middle school students use tobacco (Indiana Youth Smoking 2020).
Smoking costs Hoosiers an estimated $2.93 billion annually in health care costs (Indiana Adult Smoking 2020).
Teen tobacco use raises the likelihood of panic attacks, anxiety disorders, and depression (11 Facts About Teen Smoking).
Effects of short term use of tobacco include shortness of breath, cancer of the mouth, yellow fingers and nails, wrinkles, reduced circulation, and an increase in illnesses.
