Black Lung: Not Just for Coal Miners Anymore

X According to the Health Canada Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey conducted in 2002, overall, men (23%) were more likely than women (20%) to be smokers.

X The Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey confirms that smoking rates continue to decrease in Canada from 22% in 2001 to 21% in 2002.

X In 1985, daily smokers consumed an average of 20.6 cigarettes per day. Since then, the number of cigarettes smoked has been gradually declining to the current level of 16.4 cigarettes per day reported for 2002. Men continued to smoke more cigarettes than women: 17.9 cigarettes per day for males as compared to 14.8 for females.

X Among people aged 15-19, this trend is reversed: smoking was slightly higher among young women (23%) than young men (21%)

X The marketing of light cigarettes are just a strategy to keep people smoking

X Effects of inhaling are repetitive and cumulative – a pack-a-day smoker inhales smoke about 73,000 times a year. When inhaling cigarette smoke, the smoker gets an immediate, concentrated dose of nicotine in the bloodstream. It hits the brain within 6 seconds – twice as fast as mainlining heroin.

X The prevalence of smoking among young adults aged 20-24 years was reported at 31% in 2002 (23% daily, 8% occasional), also slightly decreased from the 2001 rate (32%). There was little difference in the smoking rates between males and females
aged 20-24 years.

X The vast majority of Canadian smokers (61%) reported consuming some type of “light” or “mild” cigarette, compared to 39% who smoke a “regular” type of cigarette.

X Cigarette smoking causes about 30% of cancers in Canada and more than 80% of lung cancers.

X Cigarette “tar” contains about 4,000 known chemicals, including poisons, and 50 cancer-causing substances.

X More than 47,500 Canadians die each year of tobacco-related diseases.

X Other tobacco products include chewing tobacco, snuff, cigars and marijuana

X Some of the chemicals and poisonous gases in cigarette smoke are: arsenic, acetone (used in
paint stripper and nail polish remover) ammonia, carbon monoxide, cyanide, mercury, nicotine and lead

X Recent studies provide evidence suggesting a link between breast cancer risk and both active and passive (second-hand) smoking, particularly for pre-menopausal breast cancer.

X The Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey reports that in 2002 about 22% of Canadians aged 15-19 smoked. However, smoking rates for youth have begun to decrease in recent years – from 28% in 1999 to 22% in 2002.

X British Columbia once again reported the lowest prevalence of smoking among Canadians aged 15 years and older (16%).

X Some studies have found that the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke may cause tumours in the colon and rectum. The heavier and longer a person smokes, the greater the risk.

X Quebec also reported the highest average number of cigarettes consumed per day by daily smokers (17.6), while Ontario reported the lowest average (15.5).

X The highest smoking prevalence rate reported was in Quebec (26%), up slightly from the 2001 rate for that province (24%).

X According to the latest results from the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS), for data collected between February and December 2002, an estimated 5.4 million people, representing roughly 21% of the population aged 15 years and older, were current smokers

X January 18–24 is National Non-Smoking Week