According to FOX17’s report on January 11, the U.S. Department of Health revealed for the first time the connection between smoking and lung cancer and other serious diseases.
Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the release of this report is groundbreaking because it is the first time that tobacco smoke and tobacco products have been systematically presented. , especially the health problems caused by smoking.
"This report had far-reaching consequences in the United States and around the world, forcing us to take the prevention of tobacco consumption seriously," she said. "It was an important catalyst in the public health field and led to tremendous success."
According to the U.S. Child Smoking Prevention Campaign, adult smoking rates have dropped by 73% since 1965, and smoking rates among high school students have dropped by 90% since the 1990s. However, it’s not all good news. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths and $240 billion in health care costs each year.
Richardson stressed that efforts to prevent tobacco consumption need to be strengthened, especially to address youth smoking. Currently, their focus is mainly on e-cigarettes.
She explained that the dangers of e-cigarettes are as serious as traditional smoking, and the public needs to be sufficiently vigilant about them. She said: "Most people's first exposure to tobacco products occurs at a young age, and e-cigarettes pose a huge threat to brain development. Therefore, children should not use e-cigarettes. The science is very clear and there is no room for ambiguity."
