That is more Americans than die from all accidents, infectious diseases, murders, suicides, diabetes, and cirrhosis combined. The disease most often associated with cigarette smoking is lung cancer. One hundred years ago, lung cancer was so uncommon that if a doctor ever saw a case of it he would have written it up in a medical journal. Even as recently as 1930 most doctors never came across a case of primary lung cancer. This disease, which 50 years ago was almost unheard of, is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women.
Lung cancer accounts for one third of all cancer deaths of men.
Lung cancer was once believed to be predominantly a disease of males. By the mid 1980's, lung cancer overtook breast cancer to become the number one cause of cancer deaths in women. In addition, cigarettes contribute to cancers of the kidney, bladder, pancreas and stomach. While most people associate smoking with cancer, even more people die from circulatory problems caused by cigarette smoking than from cancers caused from cigarettes. The effects on the circulatory system are both immediate and dangerous.