Smoking Facts - Torfaen
Smoking in Torfaen – how smoking affects our health
Did you know that:
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Respiratory (lung) diseases are the third main cause of deaths in Torfaen and a major cause of both acute and chronic ill health, and most of these deaths are linked to smoking
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Torfaen has the second highest percentage of adults (18-64) smoking of any unitary authority in Wales 35% compared to the Welsh average of 30.5%
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Tobacco smoking is the biggest cause of preventable ill health and premature death in the UK. More than 120,000 people die per year as a result of their addiction to smoking
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Smoking causes 17% of all heart disease deaths and 30% of all cancer deaths including 84% of lung cancer deaths and at least 80% of deaths from bronchitis and emphysema
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Statistics show that about half of all regular cigarette smokers will eventually be killed by their habit.
Smoking killed five times more people in the UK in 2002 than traffic accidents (3,439); poisoning and overdoses (881); alcoholic liver disease (5,121); other accidental deaths (8,579); murder and manslaughter (513); suicide (4066) and HIV infection (234) added together.
Research carried out by Communities that Care 2005 stated that 48% of young people living in Torfaen reported having tried smoking. 15% of young people described themselves as regular smokers and 4 % described themselves as occasional smokers. Research indicates that about 450 children across the U.K start smoking every day.
Second-hand (Passive) Smoke
Exposure to other people's tobacco smoke is a known cause of ill-health, with extensive research showing a link between smoking and illnesses. Passive smoking has been shown to cause:
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lung cancer and heart disease in adult non-smokers
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increased sensitivity and reduced lung function in people with asthma
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irritation of the eye, nose and throat
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reduced lung function in adults with no chronic chest problems.
Passive smoking also harms babies and children, with an increased risk of lower respiratory tract infection, increased severity of asthma symptoms, more frequent occurrence of chronic coughs, phlegm and wheezing, and increased risk of cot death and chronic middle ear effusion (glue ear). More than 17,000 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital every year because of the effects of passive smoking.
It is the dangers of passive smoking that have led to the ban on smoking in public places. The Welsh Assembly Government Committee that recommended the ban heard evidence from University of Glamorgan that predicted the estimated effect of eliminating exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in public places in Wales is an annual reduction in deaths from lung cancer and coronary heart disease of 253 with a possible additional reduction in deaths from stroke and respiratory diseases of 153. The view of the committee was that "The majority of the public who do not smoke should be able to go to their place of work and other enclosed public places without risk to their health".
The law is aimed at reducing the second hand passive smoke that affects the health of those who do not smoke, and it is not intended to force smokers to give up smoking. However, many smokers want to give up smoking, and this law will also help them by removing some of the temptation to smoke when they are at work or down the pub.
If you smoke and would like to access help and support to give up contact the All Wales Smoking Cessation Service on 0800 169 0169.