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Tobacco Free Living
Introduction
Tobacco use is the #1 cause of preventable disease, disability and death in Canada. It is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths per year in Canada. This translates into a Canadian dying every 12 minutes from a tobacco related disease.
Although much work is still to be done, there has been great progress over the past 20 years in reducing tobacco use and exposure to second hand smoke. Since 1985, smoking prevalence decreased in all age groups (35% to 20% in 2004). In New Brunswick, the smoking prevalence was 36% in 1985 and dropped significantly to 24% in 2004. Since October 2004, all New Brunswick indoor workplaces and enclosed public places are 100% smoke free! For answers to your questions on the Smoke-free Places Act, visit our Smoke-free Places website or call for information or to report a violation (make a complaint) the Department of Health Smoke-Free Places Act Information Line at 1-866-234-4234.
Health effects of smoking
There is strong scientific evidence linking smoking to more than two dozen diseases and conditions. The harmful effects of smoking include: cancer (lung, mouth/throat/voice box, pancreas, kidney/bladder); coronary heart disease (aortic aneurysms, heart attacks, circulatory problems, stroke); high blood pressure; gum disease; tooth decay; respiratory diseases (COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema); osteoporosis; thyroid disease and fertility problems. Unless smokers quit, half of them will die from their smoking, most of them before their 70th birthday.
Many people do not believe that second-hand smoke can cause first-hand illness. Smoke from cigarettes and other tobacco products can harm children. For instance, if a woman smokes while she is pregnant, her baby is more likely to be born preterm (before nine months) and weigh less than other babies. If children are exposed to cigarette smoke, they are more likely to have asthma, allergies, ear infections and eczema (a skin condition). They are also at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Often, children exposed to cigarette smoke are more likely to be hospitalized for breathing problems (developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society Psychosocial Paediatrics Committee, published in Paediatrics & Child Health, February, 2001). For more information on second-hand smoke and its affect on children, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada – Tobacco website.
Benefits of being smoke-free
You and your family will live healthier and longer (former smokers live longer than smokers).
Did you know?
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Within four weeks of quitting, your blood circulation begins to improve, your lungs work better and physical activity becomes easier. |
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Within three years, your risk of a heart attack will be similar to someone who has never smoked. |
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After five years, you will reduce your risk of getting cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, bladder, kidney and pancreas. |
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General tips
There is strong scientific evidence linking smoking to more than two dozen diseases and conditions. The harmful effects of smoking include: cancers (lung, mouth/throat/voice box, pancreas, kidney/bladder); coronary heart disease (aortic aneurysms, heart attacks, circulatory problems, stroke); high blood pressure; gum disease; tooth decay; respiratory diseases (COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema); osteoporosis; thyroid disease and fertility problems. Unless smokers quit, half of them will die from their smoking, most of them before their 70th birthday.
The good news - support is available!
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Call the Smokers Helpline 1-877-513-5333 - it’s free, it’s confidential,
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Sign up for Smoker's Helpline Online (from Canadian Cancer Society)
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Read this great Health Canada’s self help resource: On the Road to Quitting.
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Check out Nicotine Replacement therapies like the gum or the patch. They DOUBLE your chance of being successful! |
Help someone quit
The smoker must first decide to quit smoking. The commitment to quit must come from the smoker. As a family member, you can certainly provide support and encouragement. You cannot do it for them. A family member assisting someone in quitting must first of all understand that smoking is a powerful addiction and quitting can be hard. Smokers have their own reasons for smoking that may include: coping with stress, relaxation and boredom.
The quitting process also means that the person who smokes must change their thoughts and dependency on smoking. This may be a very challenging experience for many people when they attempt to quit smoking. Yet, it is also the most rewarding experience when one quits. Quitting smoking is a very individualized process. Each smoker has to find their own time to quit, work through it in their own way, and at their own speed. Every “quit” is different.
Quitting does not happen in one step – smokers usually move through five stages:
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not thinking about quitting |
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thinking about quitting but not ready to quit |
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getting ready to quit |
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quitting |
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remaining a non-smoker |
Some smokers try many times and shift back and forth between stages.
Teen smoking
Did you know that it takes more than willpower to quit smoking? It takes skills and support, as well as your own motivation to quit. The new Quit4Life (Q4L) web site can help you to quit smoking... for life.
Q4L is organized around four central steps: Get Psyched, Get Smart, Get Support, Get On With It. The site has been re-designed as an interactive and personalized four-week web program.
Visit www.quit4life.com for more information on the program and assistance on how to help your teenager quit smoking.
You're only four steps away from quitting smoking… Quit4Life can help get you there.
Smoke-free homes and cars
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The best way to protect your family from second-hand smoke at home is not to allow the smoking of cigarettes, cigars or pipes in your residence or car. It's that simple… and it's also not complicated. |
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Post a sign at the entrance to your home or in your car – people report that this is a great way to let visitors know your home is smoke free (non-confrontational). |
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Speak up – if someone asks, politely say “Yes, I do mind. Please don’t smoke around me!” |
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Keep smoking outside. Smoke lingers on clothes and on furniture. Just opening a window does not rid your home of the smoke and the chemicals it leaves behind. |
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Once you have made the decision to make your home and car smoke-free, you need to make a firm step-by-step plan and stick to it, even when your children aren't around. Click here for a helping guide. |
What parents should know
Most children start smoking between the ages of 11 and 13 years, but they can experiment at any age! The following tips will provide you with techniques on how to prevent your child from smoking.
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Keep your home smoke-free. |
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Choose a nonsmoking child care centre. |
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Help your child understand the short term effects of smoking: cigarettes smell bad, and they stain teeth, clothes and fingers. They also make it harder to participate in sports. |
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Teach your child how cigarette advertisements paint a false picture that smoking is glamorous. |
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If your child has not smoked yet, praise her or him. |
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Help your child learn to say "no" to smoking and still feel good about himself or herself. |
Source: Developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society Psychosocial Pediatrics Committee. Published in Pediatrics & Child Health, February, 2001
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It is never too late to quit. |
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Tobacco use is both a habit and an addiction – you need a plan to deal with both the addiction and changing the habit. |
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Look for support and tools to try to quit with a friend. |
Other Resources
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