Letter to the Editor - Tobacco more deadly than ever

Editor,

480,000 American die from tobacco related causes each year. That’s more than 1,300 people every day. That’s the equivalent of 20 fully loaded schools crashing every day, with no survivors. Tobacco use kills more than AIDS, obesity, alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined.

Vaping is the newest tobacco craze. While the jury is still out, vaping has many of the same dangers as does traditional tobacco. Preliminary data is pointing towards a strong link between tobacco and COVID-19. Tobacco has always been expensive and dangerous. Today, it’s more deadly than ever before.

Wade Stout, Great Falls

Cascade City-County Health Department tobacco prevention specialist