You might be surprised to know some of the chemicals and gases found in tobacco smoke. Cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking increase our risk of cancer. Tobacco use accounts for 30 percent, or one in three, of all cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking is responsible for almost 90 percent of lung cancers among men and more than 70 percent among women. Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, kidney, bladder, pancreas, and uterine cervix.
Tobacco smoking causes several lung diseases that can be just as dangerous as lung cancer.
Chronic bronchitis is a common ailment for smokers. Smoking is also the major cause of emphysema. This disease slowly destroys a person's ability to breathe. Smoking is responsible for more than 65,000 of these deaths. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, which is America's number one killer.