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Health Risks of Smoking

FACTS:

• More than 47,000 people die prematurely each year in Canada due to tobacco use.
• The average person who smokes will die about eight years earlier than a similar non-smoker.

Toxic Components of cigarettes

Exposure to these chemicals occurs whenever a tobacco product is burned:

• Tar
• Nicotine
• Carbon monoxide
• Formaldehyde
• Hydrogen cyanide
• Benzene

For further details on the toxic components of cigarettes, visit Health Canada's Toxic Emissions Statement, webpage at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobactabac/legislation/label-etiquette/tox/index_e.html.

Tobacco use increases the risk of:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancers
• Respiratory diseases
• Adverse effects in pregnancy
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Orthopedic conditions
• Rheumatologic conditions
• Kidney damage
• Type 2 diabetes
• Skin conditions
• Cataracts
• Tooth and gum problems

 

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