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By the Numbers: 443,000

Summary: 
Cigarettes are the leading cause of preventable disease in the United States, and cause 443,000 deaths each year.
434,000

An estimated 443,000 people in the United States die each year due to cigarettes. Although we've known about the harmful effects of tobacco for many decades now, about 46 million Americans still smoke cigarettes. Worse still, one in five kids smokes cigarettes by the time they leave high school.

Today, on the 36th Great American Smokeout, President Obama--a former smoker himself--is urging smokers to quit. And his Administration is committed to stopping kids from using tobacco.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, not just in the United States, but around the world. Quitting now reduces risk of cancer, heart and lung disease, and stroke among other illnesses.

To get help quitting or learn more about resources available to help you or someone you know quit, visit the American Cancer Society or SmokeFree.gov.

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