Health Effects of Smoking

Smoking is an important risk factor for the three diseases that cause most deaths in Australia: heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. It is responsible for around 80% of all lung cancer deaths and 20% of all cancer deaths. Smoking has also been linked to cancers of the mouth, bladder, kidney, stomach and cervix, among others. Smokers are also at increased risk of having reduced lung function from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Using tobacco has been linked to a variety of other conditions, such as diabetes, peptic ulcers, some vision problems, and back pain. Smoking in pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth.

The HealthInsite topic page on Passive Smoking has links to information on the health effects of passive exposure to smoke.

Reviewed January 2009

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Related HealthInsite Topics

Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about the effects of smoking on cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart disease.

40 Resources Found
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
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Title:   Bronchitis
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Bronchitis can be acute or chronic (long term) and is usually caused by viral or bacterial infection of the lungs. Find out the symptoms and treatment.
Date:   May 2009

Title:   Tobacco - Health warnings
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   From 1 March 2006, tobacco products imported and manufactured for retail in Australia are to be printed with the new health warnings. These warnings provide smokers with information on an expanded range of health effects. In the case of cigarette packs, health warnings now occupy 30% of the front and 90% of the back of pack, with a graphic appearing on both front and back.
Date:   Mar 2009

Title:   Myths and misconceptions about smoking
Publisher:   The Cancer Council Australia
Description:   Answers general questions about the myths and misconceptions about smoking.
Date:   Mar 2009

Title:   Tobacco
Publisher:   Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
Description:   These web pages provide information and resources about tobacco use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Date:   Mar 2009

Title:   Cigarettes and smoking
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   This topic looks at reasons why some young people start smoking, and why many get addicted to smoking.
Date:   Mar 2009

Title:   Smoking and mental illness
Publisher:   SANE Australia
Description:   People with mental illness, like many others, often smoke because they have learned to use it as a way of dealing with feelings such as boredom or stress.
Date:   Jan 2009

Title:   Waterpipe tobacco fact sheet
Publisher:   NSW Department of Health
Description:   Waterpipe tobacco, like all tobacco products including cigarettes and cigars, is harmful to your health so consider quitting.
Date:   Aug 2008

Title:   Pregnancy - risks
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   During your pregnancy it is very important to avoid some things that can harm your developing baby.
Date:   Jul 2008

Title:   Giving up smoking
Publisher:   The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health
Description:   The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council defines low risk drinking as no more than two standard drinks per day and at least two alcohol free days per week. People can usually list many good reasons for not smoking or giving up smoking. Often they are the very people who cannot seem to stop, even when they know there is no safe level of smoking.
Date:   Jul 2008

Title:   Smoking statistics
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Smoking-related diseases killed 19,019 Australians in 1998. This means there were 52 preventable deaths every day. Smoking kills more men than women 13,000 men compared to 6,000 women. Surveys show that smoking rates are higher among younger age groups and people with a lower level of education.
Date:   May 2008

Title:   Smoking - effects on your body
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Smoking harms almost every organ in the body including the heart, lungs, immune system and reproductive systems. Smoking during pregnancy also affects the unborn baby. Smokers have a higher risk of many diseases including some cancers, lung disease and coronary (heart) disease.
Date:   May 2008

Title:   Cigarettes and smoking
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   Did you know that 80% of young people who smoke regularly continue to smoke as adults? Nearly half the smokers under 30 started smoking by the age of 15.
Date:   May 2008

Title:   Smoking
Publisher:   Inspire Foundation
Description:   This fact sheet contains information on why people smoke, the effects of smoking, and how to stop smoking.
Date:   Apr 2008

Title:   Smoking and eye disease
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Smoking may be a risk factor for certain eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and some forms of cataracts. Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in the Western world. Quitting smoking, or not starting in the first place, is one way you can help protect your eyes from unnecessary risks.
Date:   Mar 2008

Title:   Smoking tobacco is deadly
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Tobacco causes more illness and death than any other drug. One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit, half of them in middle age. Smoking causes cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, nose, voice box, oesophagus, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bladder, ureter, cervix and bone marrow (myeloid leukemia). Tobacco smoke also causes heart disease, stroke and emphysema.
Date:   Mar 2008

Title:   Australian cigarette emissions data
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Emissions data for selected Australian cigarette brand variants were provided to the Department in 2001.
Date:   Mar 2008

Title:   Physician advice for smoking cessation
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Does advice from doctors encourage people who smoke to quit Advice from doctors helps people who smoke to quit. Even when doctors provide brief simple advice about quitting smoking this increases the likelihood that someone who smokes will successfully ...
Date:   Feb 2008

Title:   Varenicline (Champix) for quitting smoking
Publisher:   National Prescribing Service
Description:   Information for consumers about the drug Varenicline (Champix), for quitting smoking cigarettes.
Date:   Jan 2008

Title:   Substance abuse: Student factsheet
Publisher:   Women's Health Queensland Wide Inc
Description:   Drugs are a part of our social life and culture, especially for younger people, and are potentially harmful to physical and mental health. Women are more likely than men to use medications, but are less likely than men to use illegal drugs.
Date:   Nov 2007

Title:   Pregnancy and smoking
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Smoking while pregnant exposes a woman and her unborn child to an increased risk of health problems including ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, premature labour and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Passive smoking can also affect a pregnant woman and her child. The safety of nicotine replacement therapy (such as patches, gum, inhaler and lozenges) during pregnancy has not been proven and is not recommended for pregnant women.
Date:   Oct 2007
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