How many people die from smoking each year? Quick Answer
- Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., resulting in 335,000–343,000 deaths annually based on data from 2011 to 2021.
Summary
- Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death
- About 340,000 people die annually in the U.S. from smoking-related diseases
- Although the number of smokers has declined, smoking deaths have not
Investigating The Deaths From Smoking Statistics
How many people die from smoking each year? The number of American tobacco-related deaths per year from 1990 to 2021 fluctuated, but overall, it shows an upward trend.
Starting with 369,590 deaths in 1990, the numbers slightly increased in the early '90s, peaking at 377,683 in 1995. A hopeful decline followed, dropping to 334,380 by 2010, indicating the positive impact of anti-smoking campaigns and tobacco control measures.
The Need for Renewed Public Health Efforts
However, in the latter half of the 2010s, the trend in deaths from smoking took a worrying turn. The deaths from smoking statistics started to rise again, reaching 342,532 by 2021. This increase in recent years points to a major public health challenge.
The Persistent Challenge of Tobacco Deaths
The ongoing high number of deaths from tobacco use also shows how hard it is to stop smoking. Even after many years of fighting tobacco use, the increasing number of deaths shows how addictive nicotine is and how tough it can be to quit.
This problem highlights the need for new public health approaches, including better programs to help people stop smoking, stricter rules on tobacco sales, and education to prevent young people from starting to smoke.
It also raises legal issues regarding the marketing of tobacco by manufacturers that may have known of the dangers posed by their products.
Rights of Families That Lost Loved Ones to Smoking
The question, "How many people die from smoking each year?" serves as a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done in the fight against tobacco. One effective tool has been tobacco litigation. These lawsuits allege that manufacturers hid the dangers of tobacco products.
Defective product cases involve strict liability, which does not require proof that the manufacturer intended to harm consumers — only that the companies failed to warn consumers of a known hazard.
Although plaintiffs do not need to prove intent, evidence suggests that tobacco companies misled consumers about the number of smoking deaths per year. Specifically, the industry denied links between smoking and fatal diseases. It also falsely promoted low-tar, light, and filtered cigarettes as safe alternatives.
The result of these product liability cases was a settlement fund for states but not individuals. To receive a tobacco settlement payout for your loved one’s death, you must sue the tobacco companies by filing a class action lawsuit or an individual lawsuit.
Specifically, your lawsuit would allege product liability because the company’s defective and dangerous tobacco products caused your family member to die from lung disease, cancer, or another smoking-related condition.
Learn More About Your Legal Rights From ConsumerShield
How many people die from smoking each year? The impact of smoking on health worldwide is a critical problem with hundreds of thousands of annual deaths. However, smoking also touches individual families.
You may have legal rights, and ConsumerShield can connect you with a lawyer who can explain your options. Contact us for a free case evaluation.
