In 1964, the Surgeon General of the United States issued a report that finally declared cigarettes a major cause of preventable death. At that time more than half of all men and a third of all women were smokers. The lessons learned in the years since the landmark report have helped save millions of lives and have improved the health of millions more. Today about 14% of Americans smoke (as of 2019). Smoking Kills Despite the efforts to reduce smoking and its effects on smokers and non-smokers, it remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. In addition to early deaths, another 16 million Americans suffer from a smoking-related disease. Nicotine is an Addictive Drug Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco contain nicotine — a substance that is physically and psychologically addicting. Most people who become [...]