Cigarette smoking is highly addictive—and it’s responsible for more than 480,000 deaths in the United States each year, including 41,000 from second-hand smoke, according to the CDC. That makes tobacco the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. Worldwide, about 7 million deaths each year are due to tobacco use.
What Is Smoking? (Plain Language Explanation)
Smoking refers to a pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that many people experience. While it can be challenging, it's also well-understood and treatable.
Key Terms to Know About Smoking
- Symptoms: The specific ways smoking shows up for you
- Triggers: Situations or thoughts that activate or worsen smoking
- Evidence-based: Treatments backed by scientific research
- Comorbidity: When smoking occurs alongside other conditions
3 Things Most People Don't Know About Smoking
- Smoking is far more common than most people realize
- Smoking is not caused by weakness — it has identifiable biological and psychological causes
- Most people with smoking see significant improvement with the right support
Your Next Steps
Learning about smoking is just the beginning. If you think you're experiencing smoking, speaking with a mental health professional is the most valuable next step.