World No Tobacco Day, May 31, 2000
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Health Risks of Tobacco Use

How Do Smokers Perceive Their Risks?

• In developing countries, many smokers are unaware of the risks of tobacco use. For example, a study in China showed that most smokers thought smoking did them little or no harm.

• Even in developed countries, smokers and the population in general are unaware of many of the risks of smoking. Smokers tend to underestimate the risk of smoking to their health or fail to internalize the risk.

• Most smokers are unable to name a disease other than lung cancer that is caused by smoking, and most smokers rate their own chance of developing a smoking-related disease as less than, equal to, or only slightly greater than "the average person." Most smokers are unaware that smoking causes more deaths than car accidents.

• Many smokers think "low tar" cigarettes reduce their risk of illness from smoking, but studies show that these cigarettes are just as harmful as regular cigarettes because smokers smoke them differently to get more nicotine and, as a consequence, get more tar.

What are the Actual Risks to Smokers?

• Long-term smokers have a 50% chance of dying from a tobacco-related disease. Of these deaths, about one-half will occur in middle age (between age 35-69).

• In North America, tobacco use is responsible for more deaths than alcohol and other drug use, car accidents, murders, suicides, and AIDS combined.

• Data from developed countries indicate that tobacco use is responsible for approximately one third of all heart disease deaths and one third of all cancer deaths. Most tobacco-caused deaths are due to heart disease.

• Lung cancer is increasing among women in many developing countries. In several developed countries, including Canada and the U.S., lung cancer now surpasses breast cancer as the leading cancer killer of women.

• In addition to causing heart disease and several forms of cancer, tobacco use causes emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gangrene, and may contribute to sexual impotence.

What are the Risks to Non-Smokers?

• Exposure of non-smokers to second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease.

• Second-hand smoke causes or worsens numerous illnesses in children, including asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and middle ear infections.

• Smoking by or around pregnant women impedes development of the fetus, leads to low birth weight and premature babies, and may slow childhood development.

• Smoking around newborns is associated with increased rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (crib death).

For more information contact:

Heather Selin (202) 974-3383; selinhea@paho.org

Bryna Brennan (202) 974-3457; brennanb@paho.org