On
Smoking and Vaping
Facts About Tobacco Smoking
In Australia, tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable diseases and death.
Smoking contributes to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and many types of cancer. As well as causing cancer, smoking can make cancer treatment less effective.
Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke can cause disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke. If you smoke, your smoke harms other people too.
Unborn babies exposed to tobacco smoke are at risk of preterm (early) delivery, stillbirth, low birthweight, sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory illness and other health problems, and developmental difficulties. There is no safe level of smoking during pregnancy for the growing baby.
Tobacco use takes many forms, including cigarettes, waterpipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, heated tobacco products, and cigars. There is no safe level of tobacco exposure, and all forms of tobacco are harmful. The best thing a smoker can do for their health is to quit smoking.
Vaping
Support
If you smoke or want to help someone who smokes, there is a lot of support available:
- Visit iCanQuit for helpful tips and tools.
- Talk to your family doctor who knows your health history and can help you manage challenges with quitting nicotine, quitting vapes, and staying quit, including quit smoking medications.
- Aboriginal specific brochures – Ready to Give Up?; Unsure About Giving Up?; and Stay a Non-Smoker. Keep Up the Good Work!
Smoke-free Health Care
We are working to reduce the harm from smoking in and throughout our health care facilities, ensuring smoke-free environments for our patients, staff and visitors.
This means that in line with the NSW Health Smoke-free Health Care Policy (2015):
- All Sydney Local Health District premises, vehicles and events are smoke-free.
- The smoke-free policy applies also to using e-cigarettes or vapes in smoke-free public places.
- All clients who are treated within Sydney Local Health District hospitals and community health facilities are asked about their smoking status and provided with support to quit or not smoke during their hospital stay.