Aint’ It a Shame
By Jimmy Porter… WHEN over 7 million people worldwide die annually from substance abuse — alcohol, illicit drugs and tobacco! Of this 7 million, illicit drugs are responsible for 3% of the deaths, alcohol for 26% of the deaths, and tobacco 71% of the deaths. It is also estimated that by 2020 smoking will cause 10 million deaths per year worldwide.
… WHEN smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disability in the United States! Approximately 48 million U.S. adults smoke cigarettes; half of these who continue will die from a smoking related disease. Tobacco costs $50 billion annually in medical expenditures and $50 billion in indirect costs each year.
… WHEN 22.4% of Mississippi high school students smoke! Nearly 8 million packs of cigarettes are bought or smoked by Mississippi kids each year. It is estimated that 4,400 kids under 18 become new daily smokers …
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