Mitch Zeller: The past, present and future of nicotine addiction

The past, present and future of nicotine addiction

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, killing more people each year than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murder and suicide combined. Follow health policy expert Mitch Zeller into the murky depths of the tobacco industry as he details the sordid history of nicotine addiction --  and invites us to imagine a world where policy change helps stop people from becoming addicted in the first place.

Cigarettes remain the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more people annually than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. Even as smoking rates fall, the industry’s deep history of denial and manipulation persists, with 480,000 Americans dying each year from tobacco use. Industry documents reveal cigarettes were always designed as efficient drug delivery devices for nicotine addiction. Bold policy can break the deadly cycle for future generations.