Women and smoking : time to face the crisis

Abstract

Key findings: Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Ireland. Half of all smokers will die because of a tobacco related illness (Peto et al, 1994). Smoking causes 9 in 10 lung cancers (IARC, 2004). Lung cancer has now become the main cause of cancer death in women, outnumbering breast cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in Ireland for both men and women with 1,708 people dying in 2010 (1,006 men and 702 women) (CSO, 2011). Breast cancer deaths for the same period amounted to 634. New cases of lung cancer in women have increased by 17.6% in 2010 whereas breast cancer cases are increasing at a much lower rate (NCRI, 2011). Smoking also causes other cancers including cervical cancer, mouth, head and neck cancers, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, cancer of the kidney and cancer of the bladder. Smoking also causes cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and fertility problems.