According to the latest data released by the Center of Disease Control, almost 44 million adults in the United States are regular smokers and this figure does not even take into account underage smokers. The effects of smoking are extremely widespread, even more so than CDC data suggests, because individuals can be affected by second- or third-hand smoke. As more research is conducted, society has become increasingly aware of the harmful effects of smoking that affect so many people across our country. Smoking is harmful to an individual's health, because "when [a cigarette] is burned, it releases a dangerous cocktail of 4,000 chemicals including: more than 70 carcinogenic chemicals, hundreds of other poisons, nicotine, a drug that creates highly addictive, and many additives designed to make cigarettes more enjoyable and keep smokers hooked” (Cancer Research UK). It's no wonder that cigarettes are sometimes called “coffin nails,” because each smoked is a metaphorical nail driven into the person's coffin. Smoking is a lethal habit. “It causes more than one in five deaths in America” (American Heart Association) and “one in two smokers will die from their habit” (Stop Smoking Programs). People who smoke are more likely to die earlier, usually from various ailments ranging from hardening of the arteries to several types of cancer. Thousands of people die every day from smoking-related causes, even though the American Heart Association says smoking is currently the most preventable cause of death in the United States. Smokers also have a higher risk of developing various autoimmune diseases. All these harmful consequences are caused by the toxic chemicals contained in the smoke that is inhaled... middle of paper... health? American Heart Association and Web. November 12, 2013. Macnair, Patricia. "Smoking: health risks". Netdoctor. Netdoctor and Web. 12 November 2013."Smoking and cancer: what's in a cigarette?" Cancer Research UK. Cancer Research UK, ndWeb. November 12, 2013."Smoking: do you really know the risks?" Smoking: do you really know the risks? American Heart Association and Web. 12 Nov. 2013."The immediate effects of smoking on the body." Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.Np, nd Web. November 12, 2013."What is harmful in tobacco smoke?" What is harmful in tobacco smoke? American Cancer Society, nd Web. November 12, 2013."What's in a Cigarette." American Lung Association. American Lung Association, nd Web. November 12, 2013."Why is smoking bad for you?" WiseGEEK. WiseGEEK and Web. November 12, 2013. "Heart Attack Risk in Young Smokers." BBC News. BBC, 24 August 2004. Web. 12 November. 2013.