About 32 million American adults smoke cigarettes. Smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world and causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths. And more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.
Smoking causes damage to many areas of the body, including your heart and blood vessels. According to the CDC, smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, causing about one out of four deaths from the disease.
The good news is that it’s never to late to quit, and there are many resources and support options available to help you do it.
You can quit too!
Making the choice to quit is the first step. Your doctor will be more than happy to walk you through the smoking cessation options that are right for you, including:
- Over-the-counter nicotine replacement gum, patches and other products
- Prescription medicine to help ease cravings
- Free help by phone or online from trained counselors at the National Cancer Institute: Tools & Tips | Smokefree
- A national network of tobacco cessation quit lines: 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669).
- Free support and tips by text message. Sign up at SmokefreeTXT | Smokefree or text QUIT to 47848
- Apps for smartphones. You can learn more about the quitSTART | Smokefree app here:
- Free tips and tools from the ACS at Cancer.org/smokeout.
Freedom from smoking
If you’d like to quit using tobacco, please talk with your primary care provider. He or she can work with you to form a plan, recommend prescription or over-the-counter medications and guide you toward any screenings you may need. If your cardiovascular risk is high, they may also recommend you speak with a member of our cardiology team.
Make this year the one that you finally say goodbye to smoking — forever!
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