Smoking & Tobacco Use
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Did You Know? is a weekly feature from the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support to inform your prevention activities. We invite you to read, share, and take action!
View the Current Did You Know?
March 24, 2017
- CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers (Tips™) campaign builds public awareness of the health damage caused by smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
- As a result of the 2014 Tips™ campaign, an estimated 1.83 million smokers attempted to quit smoking and 104,000 smokers quit smoking for good.
- Healthcare providers and public health professionals can use the Tips™ campaign’s targeted resources for partners to encourage smokers to quit.
November 18, 2016
- Each year, 660,000 people in the US are diagnosed with―and 343,000 people die from―a cancer related to tobacco use, according to the latest Vital Signs report.
- Cancers linked to tobacco use make up 40% of all cancers diagnosed.
- States and communities can prevent tobacco-related cancer and death by supporting comprehensive cancer prevention and tobacco control programs.
July 29, 2016
- Smoking causes one of every three deaths from cardiovascular disease.
- The latest Million Hearts® Action Steps Guide [PDF-318KB] provides clinicians with tested strategies for identifying and treating patients who use tobacco.
- Clinicians can try evidence-based protocols for treating tobacco users or customize their own Million Hearts® Tobacco Cessation Protocol [PDF-432KB] template.
January 8, 2016
- More than 18 million US middle and high school youth were exposed to e-cigarette ads in 2014, according to the latest Vital Signs report.
- Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements might be contributing to increases in e-cigarette use among youth.
- States and communities can use proven approaches to prevent youth from using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
May 1, 2015
- Use of e-cigarettes and hookahs skyrocketed among middle and high school students between 2013 and 2014, offsetting declines in use of other tobacco products.
- About 4.6 million middle and high school students currently use tobacco products. Youth use of tobacco in any form--combustible, noncombustible, or electronic--is unsafe.
- Apps, text messages, and other tools, as well as resources from state tobacco control programs, can help keep teens from using tobacco.
March 27, 2015
- Smoking can cause colorectal cancer and vision loss (macular degeneration), two critical health problems addressed in this year’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign.
- The Tips campaign is a “best buy” for public health, costing only $393 per year of life saved—see how it works in this infographic [PDF-1.6MB].
- You can promote smoking cessation by using and sharing Tips campaign resources, including videos, social media messages, print ads, buttons, and more.
February 6, 2015
- More than 58 million nonsmokers in the US—including 15 million children ages 3-11—are exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the latest CDC Vital Signs.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke kills more than 41,000 adult nonsmokers each year from heart disease and lung cancer and more than 400 infants from sudden infant death syndrome.
- Proven interventions, including adopting smoke-free policies for public and residential buildings, can reduce secondhand smoke exposure.
July 11, 2014
- According to a new Surgeon General’s report, smoking and secondhand smoke cause 480,000 deaths annually in the US, and for every smoking-related death, more than 30 people live with a smoking-related illness.
- CDC's 2012 Tips from Former Smokers campaign led to an estimated 1.64 million Americans trying to quit smoking, and at least 100,000 of those smokers are expected to stay smokefree.
- The 2014 Tips campaign features new diseases and conditions in former smokers: HIV and stroke, gum disease/tooth loss, and premature birth.
January 24, 2014
- Higher excise taxes increase the price of cigarettes, which can help discourage youth and young adults from starting to smoke. The average state excise tax on cigarettes is $1.48 per pack.
- As of June 30, 2013, 26 states and the District of Columbia had comprehensive smoke-free laws that protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke in restaurants, worksites, and bars.
- For more information about the status of policies and practices relating to tobacco and 9 other public health topics in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, check out CDC’s 2013 Prevention Status Reports.
November 22, 2013
- CDC’s Winnable Battles Progress Report, 2010–2015 [PDF-785KB] describes the progress being made in addressing these critical public health challenges.
- CDC and partners are on track to decrease teen birth rates by 20% [PDF-420KB], reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities by 31% [PDF-453KB], and reduce certain healthcare-associated infections in hospitals by 60% [PDF-178KB] by the 2015 target date.
- Identifying and focusing on Winnable Battles has helped promote progress. CDC will continue to work closely with partners at the national, state, and local levels to achieve Winnable Battle targets.
April 12, 2013
- Smoking-related illness in the United States costs $96 billion in medical costs and $97 billion in lost productivity each year.
- CDC is building on the success of the Tips From Former Smokers campaign with a new round of advertisements in April 2013. The ads will continue to raise awareness of the negative health effects of smoking, including secondhand smoke.
- You can use Tips resources—including stories from smokers, content for specific groups, matte articles, and more—to promote the campaign and encourage smokers to quit.
February 8, 2013
- More than 1 in 3 adults with mental illness smoke cigarettes, a rate that's 70% higher than the rate for adults with no mental illness.
- Smokers with mental illness—such as veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder—want to quit, are able to quit, and can benefit from smoking cessation treatments.
- Some states have successfully enacted policies and initiatives that make mental health facilities and grounds tobacco free.
November 9, 2012
- Each day, more than 1,200 people in the U.S. die from smoking and more than 2,500 youths and young adults become regular smokers.
- Although smoking is decreasing among youth, seven percent of middle-school students and 23 percent of high school students used some form of tobacco last year.
- CDC offers helpful resources for preventing tobacco use among youth.
March 16, 2012
- On March 15, 2012, CDC launched Tips from Former Smokers, a national campaign to get smokers to quit and prevent anyone else from starting.
- Stories and hard-hitting images about ex-smokers, who have suffered severe health consequences from tobacco use, are featured in this compelling campaign.
- You can encourage smokers to quit and spread the word about the campaign using CDC tools and resources.
November 10, 2011
- Almost 70 percent of smokers want to quit and more than half tried to quit within the past year.
- Quitting smoking is associated with many health benefits, including lower risk for cancer and heart disease.
- The combination of medication and counseling is more effective for smoking cessation than either medication or counseling alone.
September 9, 2011
- Nearly one in five U.S. adults still smoke and half of those who smoke will die prematurely from smoking-related causes.
- Even occasional smoking causes harm; the best option is to quit completely.
- CDC recommends many evidence-based interventions to reduce tobacco use.
August 26, 2011
- Four simple health behaviors can lead to a longer life.
- People who engaged in all four healthy behaviors were 63 percent less likely to die early, compared to people who did not practice any of the behaviors.
- Measuring health-related quality of life indicators can help health agencies determine the burden of preventable disease in their jurisdiction.
Did You Know? information and web links are current as of their publication date. They may become outdated over time.
- Page last reviewed: November 9, 2015
- Page last updated: March 24, 2017
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