Final answer:
Approximately 50% of smokers may die from smoking-related diseases, and smoking can considerably shorten a smoker's life expectancy. Smoking has severe health risks but quitting can halve the risk of heart disease after one year. Various measures, like higher taxes and safer alternatives, are used to discourage smoking and reduce its health impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to research, the equation (number of packs smoked per day) x (number of years patient smoked) indicates the extent of exposure a smoker has had to cigarette smoke, which can adversely affect their health. Given the historical context of smoking's health effects, it is known that 50% of people who smoke may die from smoking-related diseases. The life expectancy of long-term smokers is reduced in comparison to non-smokers, possibly by up to 18 years, and they are three times as likely to die before the age of 70. The risks extend beyond lung cancer, as smoking can damage every part of the body, including the risk of heart disease, which can fortunately be halved after one year of quitting.
Despite the associated health costs, certain economic analyses, such as that conducted by Philip Morris in the Czech Republic, controversially claimed economic benefits from smoking-related early mortality. This is not a stance held by the health community, however, which strongly emphasizes the detrimental health effects and preventable deaths caused by tobacco use.
In efforts to reduce smoking rates, countries have implemented various actions, such as Sweden's promotion of 'snus' over traditional cigarettes, which has led to a lower risk of smoking-related diseases among Swedish men. Additionally, taxes on cigarette purchases, as seen in the excise tax per pack in the United States, aim to deter smoking through financial disincentives.