For years the link between cigarette smoking
and lung cancer and chronic lung disease has
been well documented and well known. Most people
still associate cigarette smoking with breathing
problems. But that's not the whole story.
Cigarette smoking is also a major cause
of heart and blood vessel disease.
Should you be concerned? Yes! Don't take
cardiovascular diseases (CVD) lightly. Each
year more than 950,000 Americans die of heart
attack, stroke, high blood pressure and other
cardiovascular disorders. That's more than two
of every five deaths, a life every 33 seconds.
And over 57 million Americans have some form
of these potentially lethal
Why
You Should Stop Smoking Now
No matter how much or how long you've
smoked, when you quit smoking your risk of heart
disease starts to drop. Three years after quitting,
your risk of death from heart attack is about
the same as if you'd never smoked.
It's important to stop smoking before
the signs of heart disease appear. Once they
show up, even if you quit smoking your risk
of heart attack won't return to normal — although
it will be lower.
Don't wait until you have heart disease
to quit. Quit while you're ahead. STOP
SMOKING NOW!
Secondhand
Smoke
There is no safe level of secondhand smoke.
Non-smokers who complain about smoke aren't
just whining — they're trying to save their
health and even their lives.
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