Worse Than We Thought

January 11, 2014 marked the 50^th anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health. The 1964 landmark report, released by Surgeon General Dr. Luther Terry, was the first federal government report linking smoking and ill health, including lung cancer and heart disease. This scientifically rigorous report laid the foundation for tobacco control efforts in the United States.  In the last 50 years, we have increased our understanding of the devastating health and financial burdens caused by tobacco use. We now know that smoking causes a host of cancers and other illnesses and is still the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing 480,000 people each year.In 2014, we highlighted half a century of progress in tobacco control and prevention, presented new data on the health consequences of tobacco use, and introduced initiatives that could potentially end the tobacco use epidemic in the United States in the 32rd Surgeon General’s Report on smoking and health



 These fact sheets have been created for public health officials and others, and provide information taken from Surgeon General’s Reports about smoking and its connection to specific diseases and health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There are also fact sheets addressing smoking risks for particular population groups, such as women, youth, and men and women concerned about reproductive health. The fact sheet “What You Need To Know About Smoking” also includes tips for smokers who want to quit.



Smoking:^1,2

• Harms nearly every organ of the body
• Causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general

Quitting smoking lowers your risk for smoking-related diseases and can add years to your life.^1,2