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The journey to quit smoking

Most smokers want to quit, but can’t on willpower alone1,2

Motivating patients to quit: the facts about smoking

Remind patients that smoking can have serious consequences to physical and mental health

Body with brain, mouth, lungs and heart

1. Oral health complications5

  • Periodontal disease (receding gums, bone damage, tooth loss)

  • Increased risk of cancers of the mouth and throat

  • Bad breath and stained teeth

2. Psychiatric disorders3,4

  • Smoking is more prevalent in people diagnosed with a mental health disorder vs those not diagnosed:

    • Mental health or substance use disorder in lifetime: 32.3% vs 15.5%

    • Alcohol abuse or dependence in lifetime: 37.8% vs 17.2%

    • Mood disorder: 33.6% vs 17.4%

    • Anxiety disorder: 34% vs 17.5%

  • Rate of smoking amongst patients with schizophrenia is up to 4x the rate of the general population

3. Respiratory diseases6-10

  • Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis and almost 50% of smokers develop this condition

  • Tobacco is a powerful trigger of asthmatic symptoms

  • 85% of all new cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking

  • Smoking causes 80-90% of COPD cases

4. Cardiovascular diseases11,12

  • 30% of all smoking-related deaths are from heart disease and stroke

  • 35% of peripheral artery disease (PAD)-related hospitalizations are associated with tobacco use

Risk for diabetes13

30-40% of smokers are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-smokers

Smokers have a higher risk of developing various cancers, not just lung cancer14,15

~30% of all cancer deaths are associated with smoking
40% of all cancers may be linked to smoking

Reaffirm that smoking is a ‘bona fide’ addiction16,17

Probability of dependence after trying a substance at least once:
Image with percentages filled in. Percentages are Heroin 23, Cocaine 17, Alcohol 15, Stimulants 11, Cannabis 9, Analgesics 8, and Tobacco 32.

Percentage of patients who were able to quit a substance18

Syringe icon

40%

Able to quit opiates such as heroin

Beer mug icon

18%

Able to quit alcohol

Cigarette icon

8%

Able to quit smoking

Remind patients:

Quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing lung and other cancers, COPD, and other serious diseases.

Download these facts about smoking

References

1. Reid JL, Hammond D, Tariq U, et al. Tobacco Use in Canada: Patterns and Trends, 2019 Edition. Waterloo, ON: Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, University of Waterloo.
2. Hughes JR, Gulliver SB, Fenwick JW, et al. Smoking Cessation Among Self-Quitters. Health Psychol 1992;11(5):331–334.
3. Chaiton M and Callard C. Mind the gap: Disparities in cigarette smoking in Canada. Tob Use Insights 2019;12:1–8.
4. Kumari V and Postma P. Nicotine use in schizophrenia: The self medication hypotheses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2005;29(6):1021–1034.
5. Malhotra R, Kapoor A, Grover V, et al. Nicotine and periodontal tissues. J Indian Soc Periodontol 2010;14(1):72–79.
6. Statistics Canada. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under-diagnosed in Canadian adults: Results from cycles 3 and 4 (2012-2015) of the Canadian health measures survey. Accessed Nov 3 2022 at: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2017001/article/14701-eng.htm
7. Merck Manuals. Tobacco. Accessed Nov 3 2022 at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/professional/special-subjects/tobacco-use/tobacco
8. Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. Recommendations on screening for lung cancer. CMAJ 2016;188(6):425–432.
9. Willemse BWM, Postma DS, Timens W, et al. The impact of smoking cessation on respiratory symptoms, lung function, airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation. Eur Respir J 2004;23:464–476.
10. Polosa R and Thomson N. Smoking and asthma: dangerous liaisons. Eur Respir J 2013;41:716–726.
11. Ockene IS and Miller NH. Cigarette smoking, cardiovascular disease, and stroke: A statement for healthcare professionals from the american heart association. Circulation 1997;96(9):3243–3247.
12. Duval S, Long KH, Roy SS, et al. The contribution of tobacco use to high health care utilization and medical costs in peripheral artery disease: A state-based cohort analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol 2015;66(14):1566–1574.
13. Maddatu K, Anderson-Baucum E and Evans-Molina C. Smoking and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Transl Res 2017;184:101–107.
14. Gauvreau C, Fitzgerald N, Hussain S, et al. Lung cancer-related clinical and economic impacts of achieving a 5% smoking prevalence rate by 2035 in Canada. J Glob Oncol 2018;4:S2:28S–28S.
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cancers linked to tobacco use make up 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States. Accessed Nov 2022 at: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p1110-vital-signs-cancer-tobacco.html#print
16. Rivera OJ, Havens JR and Anthony JC. Risk of heroin dependence in newly incident heroin users. JAMA Psychiatry 2018;75(8):863–864.
17. Hiroi, N., Agatsuma, S. Genetic susceptibility to substance dependence. Mol Psychiatry 2005;10:336–344.
18. American Cancer Society. Why people start smoking and why it’s hard to stop. Accessed Nov 2022 at: https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/why-people-start-using-tobacco.html