January 21 to 27 is National Non-Smoking Week

Smoking rates are dropping but lung cancer deaths are still the leading cause of cancer deaths. And every 11 minutes a Canadian dies from tobacco use; that's more than 37,000 people a year!

Hopefully the Cancer Society's campaign to help Canadians quit smoking will result in a continued drop in smoking rates. Young people just don't realize how devastating smoking can be to their future but the impact sure hits home when you talk to patients on the waiting list for a lung transplant, who are suffering from smoking-related diseases, such as COPD and emphysema.

TORONTO, Jan. 18 /CNW/ - Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. Approximately 23,000 Canadians were diagnosed with lung cancer last year and over 19,300 died from the disease.

"The good news is that the latest tobacco use statistics from Health Canada show a continuing downward trend in smoking among Canadians 15 and older," says Heather Logan, Director, Cancer Control Policy, Canadian Cancer Society. "The bad news is that lung cancer continues to take a huge toll on Canadians. Through our advocacy, education and quit-smoking programs we hope to see these rates continue to drop."

The Canadian Cancer Society leads the fight against tobacco and our collective efforts across Canada are making a difference:


• Advocacy: Our advocacy efforts have ensured the implementation of strong effective, tobacco control legislation and policies at all levels of government.



• Helping Smokers Quit: Developed with input from smokers who have successfully quit, the Canadian Cancer Society offers an innovative step-by-step self-help quit program - called One Step at a Time - for smokers and those who care about them. Watch for the launch of our revised One Step at a Time material later this year.



• Smokers' Helplines: Available across Canada, a free, confidential telephone support service for smokers trying to quit and the people who support them.



• Research: Every year the Canadian Cancer Society encourages and funds research that will help to control tobacco use. The Society was a founding partner of the Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative, which funds tobacco control research in Canada. The Society provides $500,000 annually to this initiative.



• Information: We provide Canadians with up-to-date comprehensive information about tobacco, smoking, lung cancer prevention and treatment. We supply this information through print material, our website and our Cancer Information Service.

During National Non-Smoking Week Canadian Cancer Society volunteers and staff will be working coast to coast to promote awareness about important tobacco issues and to encourage Canadians to not smoke or to quit.

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and to improve the quality of life of people living with cancer. To find out more about cancer, our quit-smoking programs and materials, visit our website, or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

(Note: You can visit the Smokers Helpline on the web and the toll-free phone helpline is 1 877 513-5333)

Stats and research

The facts


• Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease, disability and death in Canada.



• Cigarette smoking causes about 30 per cent of cancer deaths in Canada and more than 85 per cent of lung cancers.



• Every 11 minutes, a Canadian dies from tobacco use.



• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.



• Second-hand smoke is linked to the deaths of more than 1,000 Canadians every year.

Read the full press release

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