First, state funding programs for smoking cessation and prevention have been steadily decreased from 2002 to 2006.

Second, tobacco companies have been offering increased numbers of incentives to buy more cigarettes. They offer special deals, coupons, and other such ways to lure smokers into buying their cigarettes. The CDC authors state that over 80% of marketing strategies by tobacco companies relates to discounting of their products.

The report also stated that the U.S. federal health objective is to reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the United States to less than 12% by the year 2010.

The CDC authors include: V.J. Rock, A Malarcher, J.W. Kahende, K. Asman, C. Husten, R. Caraballo. They are associated with the Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC.

The CDC report states, “Cigarette smoking has been identified by the Surgeon General as a cause of selected malignant neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases (4). Smoking-related chronic diseases include 1) cancers: lung; bladder; cervix; esophagus; kidney; larynx-windpipe; mouth, tongue, or lip; pancreas; stomach; and throat-pharynx; 2) cardiovascular diseases: coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, heart attack, and stroke; and 3) respiratory diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.”


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