Grandfather and grandson hug outside

Tobacco cessation

Learn about tobacco cessation

According to the American Lung Association, more than 480,000 people in the U.S. die from using or exposure to tobacco products. If you want to stop using tobacco or e-cigarettes, we can help.1

Health effects of using tobacco

Smoking/using cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco:2

  • Can cause or worsen diseases or conditions, such as asthma or cancer
  • Exposes anyone near you to secondhand smoke
  • Harms nearly every organ of the body
  • Is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

Health effects of vaping and e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes:3

  • Are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air
  • Are known by many different names (e.g., e-cigs, e-hookahs, mods, vape pens, vapes, tank systems, and electronic nicotine delivery systems)
  • Come in many shapes and sizes
  • Often have a battery, heating elements, and place to hold liquid
  • Often look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes

According to the American Lung Association (ALA):4

  • Most people who smoke today started when they were younger than 18
  • Youth nicotine or tobacco use (e.g., smoked, smokeless, or vaped) is not safe
  • Youths use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) more than any other tobacco product

All tobacco products, including e-cigarettes:5

  • Are not safe to use
  • Can lead to the long-term use of tobacco products
  • Contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and negatively can affect brain development

The ALA says that:6

  • A young person may try a tobacco product because of parents, social pressure, advertising, and stigma
  • A young person who vapes is more likely to smoke cigarettes
  • Parents can set a good example for their children by neither using tobacco nor having tobacco in their home

If you’ve never smoked or used other tobacco products or e-cigarettes—don’t start!

Sources

  1. “Tobacco Facts,” American Lung Association, last accessed December 31, 2024, https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts.
  2. “Smoking Facts.” 
  3. “E-Cigarette Use Among Youth,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last accessed December 31, 2024, E-Cigarette Use Among Youth | Smoking and Tobacco Use | CDC.  
  4. “Kids and Smoking,” American Lung Association, last accessed December 31, 2024, https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/helping-teens-quit/kids-and-smoking.  
  5. “Kids and Smoking.” 
  6. “Kids and Smoking.”