In a separate analysis, they found that a lifetime of smoking reduces the lifespan of the average male smoker by 6.5 years, compared with non-smokers. Anyone who sees these statistics should be very concerned,'' AHA president Dr. Lynn Smaha said in a statement, referring to an annual report released Thursday called 2000 Heart and Stroke Statistical Update. Smoking is already responsible for about 1 in 5 deaths from cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of death in the US for both men and women, according to the report. Separately, the World Health Organization has estimated that 3 million people died from tobacco use in 1990, a figure that will increase to 10 million by 2025. Two particular areas of concern in the US are teen smoking and the effects of secondhand tobacco smoke,according to the report.
Smoking is a risk factor that people can control,'' Smaha notes.