INTRODUCTIONThis is a proven fact. Each year, more Americans die from lung cancer and other smoking-related illnesses than from AIDS, drug addiction, car accidents and homicides combined. Smoking is a danger to our life and health. It is the leading known cause of lung cancer. Every year, more than 30,000 people will die from lung cancer and 4 out of 5 of them will be affected by cigarette smoke. Studies have proven that there is no safe way to smoke. Tobacco contains many dangerous carcinogenic chemicals that affect the lungs of both smokers and non-smokers, so smoking just a small amount can increase your risk of lung cancer. The Surgeon General has stated that "tobacco use is the leading cause of death in our society and is responsible for more than one in five deaths in the United States." The purpose of this report is to inform and educate the reader about smoking and why it is considered the leading cause of lung cancer. This topic is close to my heart because my grandfather, who was once a heavy smoker, is now battling this terrible disease. The only way to protect yourself from this deadly disease is to never start smoking or to stop smoking if you do.TEENS AND SMOKINGAdolescence is a period of development. It is a time of change, growth, exploration and evaluation of future values. Many young people today are victims of peer pressure. Smoking can be used as a key behavior necessary for a person to become a member of a certain peer group. Young people want to be accepted and often do whatever they have to do to be part of the crowd. They don't know that the earlier you start smoking, the more likely you are to develop lung cancer or other lung disease as you age. WHAT CAUSES LUNG CANCER? Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. The American Lung Association says cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals. Many of these chemicals have been proven to cause cancer. Many of these chemicals also affect non-smokers who inhale "second-hand" smoke, making second-hand smoke another major cause... middle of paper ...... protection against lung cancer is to never start smoking. Don't be a statistic like my grandfather, stay away from cigarettes – it's a matter of life and death. WORK CITED PAGE1. Rosenfeld, Isadore, MD, Symptoms. McGraw, New York, New York. 1989.3. Lung cancer. Encyclopedia Britannica, Chicago, IL. 1968.4. Meyer, John, Smoking Cigarettes. Info Trac, l992.5. Powis, Raymond L., The human body and why it works. Cliffs of Englewood, New Jersey. 19857. Smoking and cancer. American Lung Association. l992. 8. Dealing with peer pressure. Americans for a Drug-Free America. 1991 DOES SMOKING CIGARETTES CAUSE LUNG CANCER?