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According to the U.S. Surgeon General,
smoking damages every organ in the human body. Cigarette
smoke contains toxic ingredients that prevent red blood
cells from carrying a full load of oxygen, impairs genes
that control the growth of cells, and binds to the airways
of smokers. This contributes to numerous chronic illnesses,
including several types of cancers, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease, reduced
bone density and fertility, and premature death.1
In 2005, over 60 million people in the
United States aged 12 and older smoked cigarettes within
the past month. Smoking was less common among females aged
12 and older (22.5 percent) than among males of the same
age group (27.4 percent). The rate has declined over the
past several decades among both sexes. In 1985, the rate
among males was 43.4, percent while the rate among females
was 34.5 percent.
Quitting smoking has major and immediate
health benefits, including reducing the risk of diseases
caused by smoking and improving overall health.1 In 2005,
over 42 percent of smokers reported trying to quit at least
once in the past year. Females were more likely than males
to try to quit smoking (44.8 versus 40.7 percent). Among
both males and females, non-Hispanic Blacks were the most
likely to attempt to quit (48.4 and 49.6 percent, respectively).
Smoking during pregnancy can have a negative
impact on the health of infants and children by increasing
the risk of complications during pregnancy, premature delivery,
and low birth weight—a leading cause of infant mortality.1
According to the National Survey on Drug
Use and Health, 16.6 percent of pregnant women aged 15–44
smoked in 2004–05; however, this varied by race and ethnicity.
Non-Hispanic White women (21.5 percent) were more likely
to smoke during pregnancy than women of other races. Hispanic
women were least likely to smoke during pregnancy (7.2 percent),
while 15 percent of non-Hispanic Black women did so.
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Line Chart: Persons Aged 12 and Older Reporting
Past Month Cigarette Use, by Sex, 1985-2005
>Vertical Bar Chart:
Adults Aged 18 and Older Who Tried to Quit Smoking in the
Past Year, by Sex and Race/Ethnicity, 2005
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