Tobacco Use and Exposure

Get the Facts About Tobacco Use

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.

The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence is committed to addressing tobacco use, dependence and exposure through evidence-based strategies. Additional information on the dangers of tobacco:

  • Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms to nearly every organ in the body.
  • Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
  • Smokeless tobacco use is known to cause cancer.
  • Nearly 9 out of 10 cigarette smokers first tried smoking by age 18, and 98% first tried smoking by age 26. Each day more than 3,200 youth try their first cigarette.
  • There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke, even brief exposure causes damage that can lead to serious disease and death.
  • Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including more than 41,000 deaths as a result of secondhand smoke exposure.
  • Smoking-related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion each year, including nearly $170 billion from direct medical care for adults and more than $156 billion in lost productivity.