Annually, one of every five deaths in North America is related to smoking, due to conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, lung cancer and emphysema, according to the CDC website. Smoking does not just harm the smoker – it also harms people nearby, who breathe in the smoke. Tobacco's terrible toll is no accident. It is caused directly by the tobacco industry's insidious and even illegal practices. For decades – and continuing today – tobacco companies have:
Marketed their deadly and addictive products to children and other vulnerable populations,
Deceived the public about the devastating consequences of tobacco use,
Fought proven measures that reduce tobacco use and save lives,
Sought to legitimize themselves as responsible corporate citizens even as they spread death and disease across the globe and opposed real solutions.
Tobacco companies are simply unlike any other business – their industry is built on lies and manipulation and their product kills when used as intended. This is why we have to take a stand and make smoking illegal and save the lives of our future generations.
