Posted on February 03rd, 2021
Tobacco smoke contains numerous toxic chemicals, exposure to which can lead to the development of serious diseases over the years, such as lung cancer, COPD and throat cancer. If you struggle with one of these diseases, you can recover compensation from the tobacco company whose cigarettes you have been smoking.
In the United States, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death, as over 34 million people throughout the country are smokers. Every year, 1 in 5 individuals lose their life to a disease caused by tobacco smoking. According to medical studies, the lives of people who smoke are shortened by 10 years. Smoking accounts for 20% of all cancer cases and for 30% of all cancer deaths in the country. Undoubtedly, smoking is one of the unhealthiest habits a person can have, but at the same time, it is also a very difficult routine to break, since tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. While cigarettes are manufactured with a shocking number of 600 ingredients, there are over 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, 250 of which are harmful and 69 of which are known carcinogens.
What are the most harmful substances in tobacco smoke?
When cigarettes are manufactured, companies add certain substances to create a more appealing flavor in addition to dried tobacco leaves. Thereby, it should come as no surprise that tobacco smoke contains so many harmful chemicals. Smoking causes approximately 480,000 premature deaths throughout our country alone every year. Out of these, 24% are the result of lung disease. It is worthy of note that smoking tobacco affects nearly every part of the body, not only the lungs. For this reason, numerous smokers also struggle with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes. Some of the carcinogenic substances found in tobacco smoke are the following:
- arsenic: a heavy metal used in rat poison
- benzene: a chemical found in rubber, cement, and gasoline
- benzopyrene: a toxic substance that can lead to gene mutations
- beryllium: a heavy metal that is linked to lung cancer
- cadmium: the active component in battery acid
- chromium: a metal that has a strong connection with lung cancer
- cumene: a human carcinogen known to cause lung cancer
- ethylene oxide: a flammable gas that is present in antifreeze
- formaldehyde: a chemical found in embalming fluid
- nickel: a heavy metal that has a causal relation with lung cancer
- lead: a substance used in batteries
- polonium: a radioactive element
- acetaldehyde: a human carcinogen linked to laryngeal cancer
- isoprene: a human carcinogen that may cause malignant lung tumors
- acrylonitrile: a substance used to manufacture plastic and rubber
- styrene: a derivate of benzene that is highly carcinogenic
- vinyl chloride: a chemical that is linked to lung cancer
- aromatic amines: a contaminant whose main source is tobacco
All of the above chemicals have a strong causal relation with cancer, particularly with lung cancer, in the case of smokers. Consequently, regular exposure to these harmful substances, which occurs by inhalation, can result in a malignant disease over the years if you are a smoker, regardless of the number of cigarettes you smoke a day. In the regrettable event that you came to struggle with a disease affecting your respiratory system, such as esophageal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or lung cancer, as a result of smoking tobacco, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm, as we specialize in product liability and will gladly help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for your suffering from the liable companies.
File a tobacco product liability claim with the assistance of our lawyers
Since 1990, our law firm has been helping people injured by toxic substances recover the financial compensation they deserved from the liable companies. If you came to struggle with lung disease as a consequence of smoking, we will assist you with filing a product liability claim with the responsible tobacco company. While you may think filing a claim is pointless, we can assure you that it is not, since there is a great possibility for you to obtain the money you are entitled to with the help of our attorneys, who specialize in product liability. Our legal team will make the process of filing a tobacco product liability claim as easy as possible for you since we are aware that our clients are often in a lot of pain due to the terrible diseases they suffer from. Eventually, you will receive the maximum compensation available if you choose to work with our attorneys. For more information, feel free to contact our law firm and we will answer all your questions.
