Smoking and tobacco

Close-up of hand crushing a package of cigarettes

You probably don’t need to be told that smoking is bad for you. But what are the benefits of quitting?

Quit now and reduce your risk of cancer

In Canada, it is estimated that smoking is responsible for 30% of all cancer deaths and is related to more than 85% of lung cancer cases.

The more you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. But within 10 years of quitting, an ex-smoker’s overall risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half.
If you quit, your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.

Quit now and breathe better

Even relatively light smoking may cause lung damage because smoking is repetitive, and the effects of inhaling add up over time. If you’re a smoker, you may have noticed that you:

feel out of breath when walking up a short flight of stairs
cough a lot
spit up mucus
have repeat chest infections

These are not signs of aging or being out of shape. They are signs that smoking is damaging your lungs.

Quit and feel better in so many other ways

The single best thing you can do to improve your health is to quit smoking. And the improvements start almost right away. As soon as you stop smoking, your body begins to cleanse itself of tobacco poisons. Here’s how:

Oxygen levels in your blood increase and carbon monoxide levels drop within 8 hours.
Your sense of smell and taste begin to improve after 2 days.
You’ll find it easier to breathe within 2 weeks to 3 months because your lungs are working better.
Coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of breath improve within 6 months.
Your risk of a smoking-related heart attack is reduced by half after 1 year.

Getting help to quit

Smokers’ Helpline is a free, confidential service that can help you develop a quit program, offer you support and refer you to services in your community.

Quit smoking guides – one step at a time
Quitting doesn’t happen in one step – it’s more of a process that happens in stages. Our One Step at a Time guides are based on the best available science about quitting smoking. The content reflects current research findings and the material is developed, revised and reviewed by independent experts. Choose the quit guide that best matches the stage you’re at.

One Step at a Time: For smokers who don't want to quit

This booklet is for smokers who don't want to quit smoking. It won't tell them to quit but instead it will help them to better understand their relationship with smoking.

One Step at a Time: For smokers who want to quit

This booklet is for smokers who have decided that they want to quit smoking.

One Step at a Time: Help a smoker quit

This booklet is for friends and family who want to help a smoker quit.

Suggested links on smoking and tobacco

Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada
Works to reduce smoking, exposure to second-hand smoke, and tobacco-caused illness. Provides a voice for the medical profession on tobacco issues, and works in collaboration with governments and non-government agencies.

Health Canada – Smoking and Tobacco
Provides information on tobacco control in Canada, tips on how to quit and stay smoke-free.

Info Tabac
Includes resources on smoking, cessation, tobacco legislation in Quebec and links to other tobacco-related organizations within the province. Some information is available in French only.

MedlinePlus Health Information – Smoking
Provides a variety of articles from different sources covering issues on smoking and health, policy and legislation, statistics, research, clinical trials and tobacco control.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Offers information, news, reports on tobacco control initiatives and ways to take action so that children remain tobacco-free.

Joe Chemo
Provides a more honest image of the Joe Camel character used by R. J. Reynolds to advertise cigarettes. The website features an interactive quiz that allows visitors to test their “Tobacco IQ”.

World Health Organization: Tobacco Free Initiative
Gives attention to international information concerning tobacco products, trade and guidelines.

Action on Smoking and Health (UK)
Provides information on the effects of smoking on health and also lobbies and campaigns to reduce the impact of tobacco on society.

Our partners in the fight against tobacco

PEI Tobacco Reduction Alliance (PETRA)

PETRA was formed in 1999 and brought together government and non-government agencies, groups and organizations concerned with the health, social and economic consequences of tobacco use.

PETRA was initially formed to plan and implement a comprehensive tobacco reduction strategy for the province. Since that time, PETRA members (working in partnership with the Council for a Smoke-Free PEI) have been working together to support, implement and evaluate the group’s overarching goals. These goals have included:

preventing tobacco use among Island youth;
encouraging and helping smokers at all ages and stages to quit; and
protecting the public by promoting healthy environments and eliminating exposure to second hand smoke.

The Council for a Smoke Free PEI (CSFPEI)

The Council for a Smoke Free PEI has been working for over 25 years to educate Islanders about the health hazards of tobacco products and to help reduce the use of tobacco and the exposure to its lethal effects. The majority of the Council’s efforts focus on advocacy work (lobbying for smoke-free legislation, for example.)