Know the risks

Smoking poses a real risk to your health. It is your personal choice to smoke, but be aware of the risks you’re taking.

It affects your quality of life

Compared to people who have never smoked, smokers will:

  • have a shorter life by an average of 8 to 10 years
  • be at higher risk of developing cancers such as lung, mouth, throat, pancreas, kidney and bladder, breast and colon
  • be treated more often for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pneumonia, influenza, peptic ulcers and osteoporosis
  • suffer shortness of breath almost 3 times more often than non-smokers.
  • have less physical endurance compared with non-smokers.
  • be more likely to experience injuries, and those injuries take longer to heal.
  • have a lessened ability to gain and maintain muscle.

It affects your appearance

Compared to people who have never smoked, smokers may see signs of:

  • premature aging
  • deep wrinkling
  • premature greying of hair
  • tooth loss
  • yellowing teeth
  • worsened acne

If affects your reproductive system

Compared to women who have never smoked, female smokers have a higher risk of:

  • cancer of the cervix
  • menstrual problems, including painful, irregular or missed periods
  • reduced fertility
  • early menopause

Compared to men who have never smoked, male smokers have a higher risk of:

  • impotence
  • low sperm count
  • deformed or genetically damaged sperm

It affects your family

If you are trying to have a child, smoking may have many negative effects. Compared to couples where neither partner smokes, couples where one or both partners smoke have a higher risk of:

  • having a miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth
  • delivering a baby with a low birth weight (which is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes for the child)
  • the baby having a cleft palate or cleft lip
  • the baby dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Second-hand smoke can influence the health of your family and pets:

It contains more than 4,000 chemicals, at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer.

  • These chemicals also contribute to asthma, heart disease and emphysema.
  • Children are more likely to have breathing problems, such as asthma or bronchitis, chronic ear infections and more severe allergies.
  • Pets have a higher risk of developing cancer and other health problems.

The good news is that you can start to change these outcomes if you quit smoking!

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