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.

Updated October 2007

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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.

25 Resources Found
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
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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:   Health impacts of wood smoke
Publisher:   The Australian Lung Foundation
Description:   Wood smoke contains fine particles which are breathed into the lungs. They irritate the bronchial tubes and affect those with pre-existing lung disease, especially asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Date:   May 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:   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:   Jun 2007

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. More than 19,000 people died in Australia in 1998 from diseases caused by smoking.
Date:   Mar 2007

Title:   Media release. Look, see, quit: new images to shock smokers
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Graphic images on cigarette packets, similar to those introduced in Australia last March, have been found in a recently-published international study to be the most effective way to get across to smokers the range and severity of the health risks they face.
Date:   Mar 2007

Title:   Smoking and eye disease
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Smoking is a major factor contributing to the early development of age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in the Western world.
Date:   Feb 2007

Title:   Statement on smoking as related to the perioperative period
Publisher:   Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
Description:   Some adverse effects of smoking are considerably lessened following cessation of smoking. These benefits are particularly relevant in the perioperative period.
Date:   Feb 2007

Title:   Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: COPD
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long term condition that blocks the airways in the lungs. Read all about it.
Date:   Jul 2006

Title:   Bronchitis
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Bronchitis is a term that means inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs. Read about the symptoms, the causes and the treatment for acute and chronic bronchitis.
Date:   Jul 2006

Title:   Lifestyle factors
Publisher:   The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health
Description:   Smoking is known to have an adverse affect on bone health and results in a significant loss of bone mass (bone mineral density).
Date:   Feb 2006

Title:   Smoking: reduction initiatives
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Tobacco smoking is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in Australia, and kills more than 19,000 Australians every year.
Date:   Oct 2005

Title:   Harmful Effects in Pregnancy
Publisher:   HealthInsite Topic Page
Description:   Links to information on the potential harmful effects of alcohol, smoking, drugs and other chemicals in pregnancy.
Date:   Aug 2005

Title:   Myths about cigarette smoking
Publisher:   Multicultural Health Communication Service (NSW)
Description:   Myths and facts about cigarette smoking
Date:   Apr 2005

Title:   Men who smoke
Publisher:   Multicultural Health Communication Service (NSW)
Description:   Myths and facts about the effects of smoking on men.
Date:   Apr 2005

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 2005

Title:   Cilia dysfunction.
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The fine cilia ('hairs') lining the airways are damaged by tar and the other by-products of tobacco smoke. This means the lungs eventually cannot work properly.
Date:   Aug 2003

Title:   Diabetes and smoking
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Tobacco smoking is an important factor in the development of complications of the eyes, kidneys and blood vessels.
Date:   Jul 2003

Title:   Rheumatoid arthritis and smoking
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   A number of studies have shown a link between cigarette smoking and rheumatoid arthritis. Stopping smoking may well lower your risk of developing this debilitating condition.
Date:   Feb 2003

Title:   Smoking causes blindness too
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Research has found that smokers are at an increased risk of a condition known as age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness.
Date:   Feb 2002
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
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