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Smokers unaware of health dangers of their habit

MOST smokers know their habit is damaging their lungs, hearts and throats, but don’t realise that smoking increases the risk of other serious health problems, prompting a call for updated graphic labels on cigarette packs.

How does addiction work?

MOST smokers know their habit is damaging their lungs, hearts and throats, but don’t realise that smoking increases the risk of serious health problems, from type 2 diabetes and leukaemia to infertility and rheumatoid arthritis.

New research by Cancer Council Victoria found half of Australian smokers were not aware of 13 of the 23 health conditions that are now linked to smoking.

It has prompted calls for updated graphic warning labels on cigarette packs to highlight the risk of other lethal cancers and medical conditions.

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Health warnings on cigarette packages need to highlight other health issues associated with smoking.
Health warnings on cigarette packages need to highlight other health issues associated with smoking.

“Most people understand that smoking causes cancer of the throat and the lungs because smoke touches those organs,” Dr ​Michelle Scollo of Cancer Council Victoria said.

“But I think a lot people don’t understand that 7000-odd chemicals produced when you burn tobacco actually pass from the lungs into the bloodstream and reach every organ in the body.”

Dr Scollo, the acting director of the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, said many smokers thought their addiction might shave a few years off their lives.

“But we know that two out of every three smokers that die prematurely, half of these die in middle age,” she said.

Dr Scollo said it was encouraging that eight in every 10 smokers knew of the health problems, such as lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, that feature in tobacco package warnings and TV campaigns.

“They aren’t aware of the conditions where the risk is increased by smoking that can really affect your quality of life long before middle age like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis or infertility,” she said.

How does addiction work?

Other risks include poorer outcomes after surgery, pancreatic, kidney and liver cancers, infertility in women, ectopic pregnancies and erectile dysfunction.

The two leading health groups say the survey of 1800 people — published in the Medical Journal of Australia today — highlighted the need to update graphic health warnings on cigarette packs that have been in place since 2012.

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“The federal government is currently reviewing the warnings and we hope the new conditions can be included,” Dr Scollo said.

Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White said public educations had been shown to deter young people from starting smoking and motivating others to quit.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in Australia. Around 12 per cent of people say they are daily smokers.

lucie.vandenberg@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/smokers-unaware-of-health-dangers-of-their-habit/news-story/92d32557d4326cbe561508363300eaa4