There is good news and bad news in the battle against cigarette smoking.
The good: Between 2009 and 2021, the percentage of the adult population of the United States who smoked cigarettes declined from 20.6% to 11.5%.
The bad: Cigarette smoking continues to kill a half-million U.S. residents each year, with millions more suffering from chronic illnesses brought on by smoking.
Add to the problem the damaging impact of marijuana smoking, which is anticipated to dramatically increase these numbers. Marijuana smokers inhale toxins and keep them in their system longer.
According to an article in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, education needs to focus on preventing people from using tobacco and marijuana.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.