Smoking and Cancer

Articles about tobacco and cancer risk, advice and resources for quitting all types of tobacco.

Smoking Cessation. Where do I Start? The US Surgeon General stated that quitting smoking is the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives. Over 70% of smokers want to quit and as many as 50% attempt to quit every year. Addiction to tobacco is difficult to overcome, even more so without support. So where should a person who wants to quit start?
Smoking Cessation Aids Only 5-10% of smokers who attempt to quit cold turkey are successful long term. This article reviews the available treatments, both pharmacologic (drug) and non-pharmacologic, to aid in successful smoking cessation.
Did You Know...The Facts About Smoking and the Worldwide Crisis it has Caused? Smoking is a worldwide health crisis and the World Health Organization estimates that by 2030, tobacco deaths will reach 8 million a year if current trends continue. No matter where you live, education is key to helping current smokers quit and preventing the next generation from becoming addicted. Let's get the facts about this global epidemic.
Marijuana Smoking and Cancer Risk Studies of marijuana and cancer risk are difficult to conduct; this article discusses the health risk associated with pot smoking.
Former Smokers and Cancer Risk Even though you can’t “undo” your smoking history, the good news is that that the risk of having lung cancer and other smoking-related illnesses decreases after you stop smoking and continues to decrease as more tobacco-free time passes.
Smoking Doesn't JUST Cause Lung Cancer While most smokers are aware of some of the health problems smoking causes, such as lung cancer and heart disease, they may not be aware of the 12 other types of cancer smoking can cause.
Secondhand Smoke and Health Risks Ten to fifteen percent of lung cancers diagnosed in people who have never smoked are attributed to secondhand smoke. This exposure has also been associated with increased risk for 8 other types of cancer.
Second-hand Smoke The problem of "second-hand smoke" which is also called environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is an emotionally charged personal and public health issue.
Betel Leaves & Areca Nuts and Cancer Risk Parts of the Betel plant and Areca nuts may be used individually or together in the form of a betel quid. In many countries, tobacco is also added, and the product is known as gutka, ghutka, or gutkha. The use of betel and areca nuts is very common in India and Asia.
"Exotic" Smoking Practices (Hookah, Bidis and Clove Cigarettes) "Exotic" smoking, including hookah, bidi, unfiltered cigarettes, clove cigarettes, has often been promoted as a safe alternative to traditional tobacco products. The following article describes the health risks associated with these practices and provides resources for quitting tobacco all together.
Smokeless Tobacco and Health Risks Smokeless tobacco includes: dip, chew, spit, oral and spitless tobacco and dry and moist snuff (snus). Many people mistakenly think smokeless tobacco is a safe alternative to cigarettes and may not realize that it is just as addictive as cigarette smoking.
Cigars are not the “safe” smoking alternative! Many perceive cigar smoking as safer than cigarettes, because most smokers do not inhale them. However, cigars are particularly dangerous due to the process of aging and fermenting the tobacco, which creates carcinogenic compounds in cigar smoke in much higher levels than found in cigarette smoke.