WASHINGTON — For the first time, there is evidence of immediate and direct harm done by smoking even one cigarette, according to the 30th annual United States Surgeon General's Office report on smoking, issued Dec. 9.
Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin said at a press briefing that previous reports from her office honed in on the various diseases that smoking could cause. “This report focuses on how tobacco smoke causes damage to every organ in your body,” she said.
When asked why this report could make a difference when so many previous warnings have not convinced all Americans to quit smoking, Dr. Benjamin said that she thinks that the direct evidence of harm will personalize the message.
“I believe it's very important that every American knows what's happening in their bodies, particularly those who are trying to quit.” She said it might be helpful for people to know the various biological reasons why quitting is so hard.
Dr. Benjamin said she knew that even President Obama was trying very hard to quit and that she'd told him about the new findings.
The 700-page “Report of the Surgeon General: How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease” determined that tobacco smoke contains 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are known to be toxic and 70 of which are carcinogenic, she noted.
The report describes multiple insults to the body from those chemicals, including changes in DNA that can lead to cancer; damage to the lining of the lungs; obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis; stress on the vasculature and cardiovascular disease; and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and aortic aneurysm.
Smoking also interferes with the effectiveness of chemotherapy and the control of blood sugar and leads to fertility problems, including difficulty conceiving, miscarriage, and preterm birth. Just one cigarette can trigger a heart attack or stroke, she said.
In addition, the report examined the effects of secondhand smoke, finding that even brief exposure can cause cardiovascular disease and can also trigger acute cardiac events, such as heart attack. Babies exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome.
The report highlights the increasingly addictive properties of today's cigarettes, many of which are designed to enhance nicotine absorption and its crossing of the blood-brain barrier, Dr. Benjamin said. Some cigarettes also allow smokers to inhale more deeply into the lungs, increasing the disease risk.
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at the briefing that the report shows that “there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke,” and, she added, “If you're a smoker, the best time to quit is right now.”
John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., CEO of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, agreed. “Today's report makes it clear, once again, that there is no such thing as a safe cigarette and no such thing as a safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke for nonsmokers,” he said in a statement.
Ms. Sebelius noted that, every day, 4,000 Americans under the age of 18 years try their first cigarette, and that 1,000 of them become daily smokers. Some 1,200 Americans die every day as a result of tobacco-related causes, she said, and the report is part of the Obama administration's ongoing strategy to completely eliminate tobacco use.
Smoking rates declined until 2003, but since that time the rate has plateaued, with 20% of adults admitting they currently smoke. The administration has launched a multipronged attack, including giving the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco and increasing funding to state and local programs for intervention and outreach programs. Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program both now offer coverage of tobacco-cessation strategies, Ms. Sebelius said.
Tobacco-related disease is a big reason why America is less healthy than other countries, and that has consequences. “If we're a less healthy nation, we're not competitive in a global economy,” she added.
The Surgeon General's report is available at www.surgeongeneral.gov.
The report focuses on smoking's effects only on adults. The office is working on another report on adolescents and teenagers, Dr. Benjamin said.