We have known for many years now that smoking presents a great health hazard, yet upward of 45 million people in the United States continue to smoke.
Repeated inhalation of secondhand smoke can lead to sometimes deadly diseases, including asthma and sudden infant death syndrome. It is estimated that about 50,000 people die from secondhand smoke in the United States annually.
In addition, smoking also has a significant negative impact on the environment. The substances in cigarettes and cigars are highly toxic to life, and 18.6 billion trees are cut down each year to make cigarettes.
Smokers also cost even "innocent" taxpayers billions of dollars. In addition to the cost of cleaning up littered cigarettes, taxes also often cover the cost of medical aid for smoking-caused health troubles.