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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