INFORMATION FOR ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS
SAFETY NEWS
31 May is 'World No Tobacco Day'
The 31 May every year, is 'World No Tobacco Day', with the purpose of focussing attention on the impact of tobacco on public health and to reduce individual tobacco dependence through the promotion of 'Quit' programs. As part of this program ALL staff and students are advised that if they smoke and wish to quit they can access the following services:
The NSW Quit Campaign can provide a 'Quit Kit' (a limited number are available from your campus Human Resources Office) or you can speak to a counsellor by ringing 131848.
The Quit Now website may be accessed at:
http://www.quitnow.info.au
NSW Cancer Council - Smoking and Tobacco Related Issues
How many men smoke in Australia?
- In 1945 72% of Australian men smoked.
- The rate has been dropping ever since then.
- In 2001 only 21.1% of Australian adult males smoked.
What about women?
- In 1945 26% of Australian women smoked.
- By 1976 this figure had risen to a peak of 33%.
- In 2001 women were slightly better than men with 18% still smoking.
Which age groups smoke more?
- Among men the age group with the highest rates of daily smoking is 20 to 29 (28.5% of male smokers).
- Among women the age group with the highest rates of daily smoking is 30 to 39 (24.3% of female smokers).
- A 1999 survey of Australian secondary school students found that smoking rates were 6% in boys and girls aged 12.
- The figures peaked at 33% for 17 year old boys and 30% for 17 year old girls.
Is there a link with occupation?
- For both men and women, smoking rates are higher among manual and factory workers than among office workers and professionals.
- There is also a relationship with education - those who leave school early are more likely to smoke than those with higher levels of education.
How many hospital admissions and deaths relate to smoking?
In 1997-98 there were approximately 142,500 Australian hospital episodes that were smoking-related.
There were approximately 19,000 smoking-related deaths in Australia in 1998.
In 2001, an estimated 15,524 people (10,185 male, 5,339 women) died in Australia as a result of tobacco smoking. This compares to an estimated 4,279 deaths from illnesses and injuries associated with excessive alcohol consumption, and 821 deaths attributable to illicit drug use.
Useful Links
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey - State and Territory Supplement
How does smoking cause cancer?
Tobacco smoke contains around 43 carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances1.
Benzo(a)pyrene is a cancer causing substance that damages the all-important P53 gene, which plays a vital role in maintaining the body's health by preventing the growth of cells that lead to tumours and cancer2.
The estimated percentages of particular cancers that can be attributed to smoking for both men and women are shown in the table below3.
|
Cancer type
|
men
(%)
|
women
(%)
|
|
Lung
|
84
|
77
|
|
Mouth and pharynx
|
57
|
51
|
|
Oesophagus
|
54
|
46
|
|
Larynx
|
73
|
66
|
|
Bladder
|
43
|
36
|
|
Kidney - parenchyma
|
28
|
21
|
|
Kidney - pelvis
|
55
|
48
|
|
Pancreas
|
24
|
19
|
|
Stomach
|
14
|
11
|
|
Cervix
|
-
|
19
|
|
Vulva
|
-
|
40
|
|
Penis
|
30
|
-
|
|
Anus
|
48
|
41
|
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing the Health Consequences of Smoking: 25 Years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centres for Disease Control, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1989.
- Denissenko MF, Pao A, Tang M, Pfeifer GP. Preferential Formation of Benzo(a)pyrene Adducts at Lung Cancer Mutational Hotspots in P53. Science 274 5286): 430.
- Winstanley M, Woodward S, Walker N. Tobacco in Australia: Facts and Issues. Victorian Smoking and Health Program, Australia (Quit Victoria), 1995.
Health Effects of Smoking
Apart from cancer, smoking is strongly associated with the following health effects:
- cardio-vascular disease (heart disease)
- stroke
- emphysema (destruction of elastic fibres and airway sacs of the lungs)
- a range of other respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis
- hypertension
- peptic ulcer
- eye cataracts
- macular degeneration (which can lead to blindness)
- Crohn's disease (chronic inflammation of the small intestine)
- impotence
- back pain
- premature facial wrinkling
Reference
- Ridolfo B, Stevenson C. The quantification of drug-caused mortality and morbidity in Australia, 1998. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra, 2001.
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