Tobacco Fact File

• 32% of people in Northern Ireland over the age of 16 reported being current smokers.
  

• 52% of men and 45% of women in Northern Ireland are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.
  

• Cigar smoking is associated with cancers of the oral cavity (lip, mouth, throat and tongue), larynx, lung and oesophagus.
  

• Daily cigar smokers, especially those who inhale, have an increased risk for developing heart and lung disease.
  

• Large cigars can contain as much tobacco a pack of cigarettes; between 5 and 17 grams of tobacco.
  

• The lung cancer risk from moderately inhaling smoke from five cigars a day is comparable to the risk from smoking up to one pack of cigarettes a day.
  

• In 1992 there were 1,525 fires in the state of New South Wales, Australia caused by discarded smoking materials.
  

• Tobacco use in the US, causes more than 440,000 deaths each year.
  

• Disorders associated with smoking during pregnancy are: low birth weight; congenital limb reduction; spontaneous abortion; and ectopic pregnancy.
  

• When filter ventilation holes are blocked on 'low tar' cigarettes the tar yield can increase dramatically, up to 12 times in some cases.
  

• Half of all regular smokers will eventually be killed by their habit.
  

• Habitual use of nicotine through smoking meets the key medical criteria for drug dependence.
  

• Tobacco is the single biggest killer in Europe. One in six deaths of all in Europe is caused by tobacco.
  

• Every year in the WHO European region, tobacco is responsible for 1.2 million deaths - a staggering 137 people per hour.
  

• Europe has the highest levels of tobacco consumption per head, the highest numbers of tobacco related deaths, and the highest burden of disability caused by tobacco.
  

• Tobacco will kill 2 million Europeans annually by the year 2020, and account for one in five of all deaths in the region.
  

• In Central and Eastern European countries, smoking rates are high amongst men, and rapidly increasing among women, while in countries in northwestern Europe, smoking rates are similar among men and women.
  

• During the period from 1990-93 in the EU 7.5 million workers were exposed to secondhand smoke at least 75% of the time.
  

• Smoking kills over half a million women each year.
  

• Lung cancer is rising more rapidly among women than among men in the EU.
  

• In 1995, 60% of female smokers in the EU aged 45 to 64 smoked 'light' cigarettes.
  

• Smoking rates among young Japanese women have increased significantly, and also appear to be on the rise among adolescents.

Top

Policy

• 44% UK workplaces operate a total smoking ban.
  

• Almost three out of ten pregnant women in the UK who work are exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace.
  

• Workers in the hospitality industry are subjected to far higher levels of secondhand smoke than most other workers.
  

• In the UK, support for restrictions on smoking in public places is very high.
  

• The Tobacco Manufacturers' Association estimates that 62% of UK production of cigarettes exceeds the ceilings on either tar, carbon monoxide or nicotine.
  

• Oral tobacco cannot be bought in the UK.
  

• Tight controls on smuggling improve governments’ revenue yields from tobacco tax increases.
  

• Much of the regulation applying to tobacco in the UK has been in the form of voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry.
  

• Cigarettes, although a nicotine delivery device, are exempt from the UK drug safety standards.
  

• In 1996 the European Union paid £684.5 million in tobacco subsidies. More than sixty times the amount (£10.3 million) spent for programs designed to reduce smoking.
  

• The recent introduction of images and very specific health warnings in countries such as Australia, Canada and Poland have seen a measured improvement on the publics’ awareness of dangers of smoking and provided motivation to discontinue using tobacco.
  

• Strong warning labels are effective in helping smokers to quit.
  

• Cigarette consumption varies inversely with the real price of cigarettes.
  

• The EU Labelling Directive 2001/37/EC will provide a framework for member states to base labelling laws upon.
  

• Advertising bans decrease consumption of tobacco.

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