Smoking addiction means a person has formed an uncontrollable dependence on
cigarettes to the point where stopping smoking would cause severe emotional, mental,
or physical reactions. Everyone knows that smoking is harmful and addictive, but few
people realize just how risky and addictive it is. Chances are that about one in three
smokers who do not stop will eventually die because of their smoking. Some will die
in their 40s, others will die later. On average, they will die 10 to 15 years earlier than
they would have died from other causes. Most smokers want to stop and do indeed
try, but only one in three succeeds in stopping permanently before age 60.