Final answer:
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in developed countries, responsible for six million deaths globally each year. Long-term smokers have a significantly shorter life expectancy than non-smokers, with reductions of up to 18 years. The CDC confirms that regular smokers can die approximately 10 years earlier than non-smokers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Smoking is known to be the single greatest cause of preventable death in developed countries, with about six million deaths globally each year attributed to tobacco use. The life expectancy of long-term smokers is significantly shorter than that of non-smokers, potentially being reduced by as much as 18 years. In the United States alone, regular smokers can expect to live about 10 years less than nonsmokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Historical data from the mid-1900s also illustrates the direct correlation between cigarette consumption and lung cancer mortality, highlighting that smokers generally succumbed to lung cancer approximately two decades after beginning to smoke.
The anti-smoking campaigns and comprehensive evidence compiled over years have made it clear that exposure to tobacco smoke, whether by smoking or by secondhand smoke, is the leading cause of chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Despite the well-documented negative health impact and early mortality associated with smoking, the cigarette industry has often disputed these findings. However, the overwhelming scientific evidence has facilitated the implementation of warnings on cigarette packaging and increased public awareness of smoking's hazards.