Health effects

Public

Smoking related illness accounts for 1 in 5 of all Indigenous Australian adult deaths (Vos, Barker et al. 2007).

AND

Smoking is the biggest single risk factor contributing to illness for Aboriginal people, more than alcohol and all other drugs combined (12.1%) (Vos, Barker et al. 2007).

AND

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a shorter life expectancy than the rest of the Australian population, about 11.5 years less for men and 9.7 for women (ABS 2010) and have at least twice the age-specific death rates below the age of 65 (Winstanley 2008).

By comparison it is estimated that smoking related illness accounts for nearly 1 in 7 non-Indigenous deaths and of those, most occur over the age of 65 (ABS 2006).

The Cancer Council of Australia estimates that half of all long-term smokers will die of smoking related illness (Cancer Council NSW)

However quitting smoking at any age is likely to increase life expectancy. A study that followed a group of 50 British doctors found that quitting smoking at 60, 50, 40 and 30 years of age increased their life expectancy by 3, 6, 9 or 10 years respectively (ABS 2006)

Diseases and health conditions caused by smoking

Cancers of the lungs, throat, mouth, tongue, nose, nasal sinus, voice box, oesophagus, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bladder, ureter, cervix and bone marrow. Smoking related cancers account for nearly 21% of all cancer deaths.

Heart disease Smoking accounts for one in three cases of heart disease in people under the age of 65.

Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes bronchitis and emphysema. In fact almost all long-term smokers will develop some form of emphysema and the more you smoke per day and the longer you smoke the worse it gets.

Stroke – you have 3 times the risk of suffering a stroke in younger age than non-smokers

Peripheral vascular disease is narrowing of the leg arteries that can block and eventually lead to amputation of the limb. Smoking is the main cause of this disease.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the bursting of the lower part of the aorta leading from the heart. It often leads to sudden death. Smoking is the main case of this disease.

Peptic ulcer disease

Eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts

Lower fertility in women

Low bone density

Gum disease

Respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath, coughing, phlegm and wheezing

Worsens asthma – Smokers who have asthma have poorer asthma control

Complications during and after surgery, including slower wound healing and increased risk of infection, adverse effect of drugs, breathing difficulty, and lung complications

Smoking also increases your risk of getting:

Cancer of the liver and bowel

Crohn’s disease (a chronic bowel disease)

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia and brain function decline

Premature wrinkles

Diabetes (type 2)

Erectile dysfunction – Men who smoke increase their risk of impotence and may have reduced semen volume, sperm count and sperm quality

Complications during pregnancy and childbirth

Increased chance of catching bacterial and viral infections such as colds, flu, meningococcal disease and tuberculosis

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis

Source: Quit Victoria Background Brief – Smoking rates, diseases, secondhand smoke and cost

Did you know?

Because diseases such as lung cancer and COPD take a long to develop these conditions will continue to plague Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders for many years and are likely to increase even if rates begin to drop immediately.

We will however see a more immediate drop in the number of people suffering from smoking related diseases that have a shorter delay in onset such as cardiovascular disease.