Losing someone we care about is never easy, and it can be particularly challenging when their death is related to a preventable cause like smoking.

Smoking is a harmful habit that can lead to serious health issues, including various types of cancer, heart disease, and respiratory problems. Unfortunately, it claims the lives of millions of people around the world each year.

Here are some statistics related to smoking and its impact:

1. Global Smoking Statistics:
   • According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use kills more than 8 million people each year.
   • It is estimated that there are 1.3 billion smokers worldwide.
   • Tobacco use is responsible for around 25% of all cancer deaths globally.
2. Health Consequences of Smoking:
   • Smoking is a leading cause of preventable diseases and premature death worldwide.
   • It is linked to various health conditions, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema), and other cancers (including mouth, throat, esophageal, pancreatic, bladder, kidney, and cervix).
   • Secondhand smoke, also known as passive smoking, can also cause serious health problems in nonsmokers, including lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
3. Economic Impact of Smoking:
   • Smoking-related diseases and premature deaths impose a significant economic burden on societies.
   • Healthcare costs for treating smoking-related diseases are substantial, placing a strain on healthcare systems.
   • Additionally, productivity losses due to illness, disability, and premature death caused by smoking also have economic implications.
4. Efforts to Reduce Smoking:
   • Many countries have implemented various strategies to reduce smoking rates, such as increasing taxes on tobacco products, implementing smoke-free policies, conducting public awareness campaigns, and providing smoking cessation programs.
   • These efforts have shown promising results in decreasing smoking rates in some regions.

With all of this information we have about the health issues caused by smoking you would think that public health everywhere would welcome and promote safer alternatives like vaping.

If public health would admit the benefit of these devices people who smoke may be more open to trying to switch. 

A lot of lives could be saved from a lifetime of smoking and the disease and death that comes along with that choice.

No one should ever think that these alternatives are more harmful than or just as harmful as combustible cigarettes, it is time for public health to quit lying and back vaping.