Why Smoking Remains Australia’s Biggest Preventable Killer
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Australia today. Despite decades of public health campaigns, world-first plain packaging laws, and some of the toughest tobacco controls on the planet, smoking still claims more than 24,000 Australian lives every year – that’s more than 66 people every day, or one death every 22 minutes.
New research from The Australian National University (ANU) has revealed that smoking is even deadlier than previously thought. The study, which followed 178,000 people over time, found that smoking increases the risk of dying from 23 common causes.
For the 1.8 million Australians who still light up every day, the numbers are sobering. Up to two-thirds of deaths in people who currently smoke can be attributed to smoking, and smokers lose on average a decade of life.
The Health Effects: What Smoking Does to Your Body
Cancer
Smoking is a leading cause of cancer. Lung cancer is the most common smoking-related cancer – over 80% of lung cancer deaths are directly linked to tobacco use. Each year, around 15,000 Australians are diagnosed with smoking-related cancer.
But the damage doesn’t stop at the lungs. Smoking significantly increases the risk of cancers of the:
Prostate and large intestine
Throat, mouth, sinuses and nasal passages
Oesophagus, liver and pancreas
Kidney, stomach and bladder
Heart Disease and Stroke
Smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, also called ischaemic heart disease. As tobacco smoke is absorbed into the bloodstream, it damages blood vessels, increases the formation of plaques and clots, and reduces blood oxygen levels.
In Australia, smoking is the cause of a large proportion of deaths from heart disease in younger people. Smoking was the cause of over one-third of deaths from heart disease for people between 45 and 54 years of age.
People who smoke have double the risk of dying from stroke and heart disease compared to non-smokers. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality has been estimated to be almost 3 times as high in current smokers than never-smokers.
Chronic Lung Disease
People who currently smoke are 36 times more likely to die of chronic lung disease than people who have never smoked. Chronic lung disease, lung cancer, heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of smoking-related death, together causing more than half of early deaths in people aged 45 and older.
Final Thoughts
Smoking is Australia’s biggest preventable killer. It cuts lives short, devastates families and costs the community billions. But the good news is that every cigarette you don’t smoke is doing you good.
Whether you’re a daily smoker, a social smoker, or someone who’s been thinking about quitting for a while – now is the time. Help is available, and it’s free. One call to Quitline could be the first step toward a longer, healthier life.