Live a Smoke-Free Life
About Smoking
Harms of Smoking
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco has been found to be related to over 7 million deaths worldwide annually. An estimated 1.6 million of these deaths were non-smokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke¹.
Tobacco is known to cause at least 12 types of cancer, including lung, oral and nasopharynx cancer. Most of these cancers were among the top common cancers diagnosed in Singapore residents between 2018 to 2022². 85% of lung cancer cases (the third most common cancer in both men and women in Singapore) are caused by smoking³.
A single cigarette contains over 7,000 chemicals, and among these, 70 of them are cancer causing substances.
Smoking is the most preventable cause of death and we would like to encourage everyone to stay smoke free.
Harms to yourself
Increased risk of conditions and diseases like:
- Lung cancer
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Heart disease and stroke
- Cancers
- Cataracts
Changes in physical appearance:
- Dental problems like gum disease and tooth loss
- Worse skin quality and ageing skin, including more wrinkles, spots, and pigmentation
- Yellow-brown stains on your fingers, tongue and teeth
Negative effects on daily life:
- Affected sense of taste and smell
- Hearing loss
- Compromised reproductive health
Harms to your loved ones
- Secondhand smoke
- Time lost to smoke breaks
- Financial strain
Harms to the environment
According to the World Health Organisation, "Every year the tobacco industry costs the world more than 8 million human lives, 600 million trees, 200 000 hectares of land, 22 billion tonnes of water and 84 million tonnes of CO2."⁴
Common Misconceptions
I’m the only one who will be harmed from my smoking
The smoke from your lighted cigarette (side stream smoke) and the smoke you breathe out (mainstream smoke) severely impacts those around you.
Being exposed to secondhand smoke puts those around you at risk of eye, nose and throat irritations, respiratory tract infections, and heart diseases and cancers. Non smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or the workplace even face a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer.
A study conducted in Taiwan showed that non-smoking women exposed to spousal smoking (more than 40 years) have an increased risk of lung cancer by almost twofold compared to those not similarly exposed.⁵
Children exposed to secondhand smoke are especially vulnerable. Smoking around children may cause them to catch more coughs and cold, affect the growth and function of their lungs, and increase their risk of getting ear and chest infections.
Smoking only causes lung cancer
Smoking is linked to more than 14 different types of cancers. Lung cancer is NOT the only side effect of smoking.
Smoking also causes cancer of the mouth and throat, voice box, esophagus, stomach, kidney, pancreas, bladder and even blood cancer. It also causes heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis and certain eye diseases.
If I use an air freshener or air filter, my secondhand smoke will not hurt anyone
More than 7000 chemicals have been found to be present in cigarette smoke. At least 400 have been found to be harmful.⁶
Air fresheners and air purifiers only mask the smell of the smoke, and do not reduce the harmful fumes significantly. Most air filters are designed to reduce the larger particles in the air, but they do not remove the smaller particles or gases that can be found in secondhand smoke.
I failed to quit the first time I tried, so I'll never be able to quit
On average, it takes 8 to 10 attempts at quitting before a person actually succeeds in breaking the habit.
Don't give up, and treat each attempt as an opportunity to learn what works for you, so that your next attempt will be more successful. It is never too late to stop smoking at any point in life.
I am a social smoker, hence I am not at risk of cancer
This is untrue. A study researching over 18,000 people found that social smokers were 2.5 times as likely to die from lung disease and 8.6 times as likely to die from lung cancer when compared to non-smokers.⁷
My other healthy habits can make up for my smoking habit
Smoking affects every organ system in the body. Eating a healthy diet and exercising does not reduce the health risks associated with smoking.
Switching to ‘light’ cigarettes will reduce my risk
Smokers who use 'light' cigarettes often unknowingly compensate for the lower levels of tar and nicotine by inhaling smoke more deeply or by smoking more cigarettes. Eventually, the same amount of harmful components is inhaled.
It is also important to note that there is no standard definition for a 'light' cigarette, and the term can sometimes be used as a marketing term to refer to flavour, rather than actual nicotine content.
E-cigarettes / Vapes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes
E-cigarettes heat nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. This creates just many harmful fumes that are toxic to the body. An outbreak of vaping-induced acute lung disease in the USA in 2019-2020 resulted in over 2800 hospitalisations and 68 deaths.⁸
E-cigarettes / Vapes are less addictive than traditional cigarettes
Both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine, which research finds is just as addictive as heroin and cocaine.⁹ Furthermore, you are able to buy extra-strength e-cigarette cartridges, which have a higher concentration of harmful chemicals entering your body.
E-cigarettes / Vaping is the best smoking cessation tool
Although they have been marketed as an aid to help you quit smoking, it has not been proven to be an effective method to date. A recent study found that most people who intended to use e-cigarettes to kick the nicotine habit ended up continuing to smoke both traditional and e-cigarettes in the long run. The other danger is that kids who experiment with e-cigarettes end up as cigarette smokers in the long term as e-cigarettes may be the gateway to nicotine addiction.
Trying to quit smoking will cause me to gain weight and that’s unhealthy
The reason why people can sometimes gain weight after quitting smoking is because your sense of taste and smell recover when you quit smoking, which may make food taste better! If you are concerned about weight gain, you can counter it with a regular exercise plan and healthy diet regime.
I’ve smoked for so long; the damage is already done
The damage caused by smoking is cumulative, and the longer a person smokes, the greater his/her risk of life-threatening ailments. Quitting smoking at any age brings health benefits.
Trying to quit smoking stresses me out and that’s unhealthy
Tobacco withdrawal can be stressful due to nicotine withdrawal symptoms, but these symptoms are temporary and often disappear after the first two to three weeks.
In fact, quitting brings about emotional benefits that may reduce your stress levels, like an improved sense of well-being, a renewed sense of control over your life, and improved relationships with your loved ones.
You can also speak to your doctor about medications to help counter the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Secondhand Smoke
About 85% to 90% of the smoke from every cigarette ends up in the air as Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), also known as secondhand smoke.¹¹
Amongst the 7 million deaths caused by tobacco every year, the World Health Organisation estimates that 1.6 million of these deaths are non-smokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke.¹
In multi-unit housing (like HDB flats) where many homes are next to one another, people are more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke, since secondhand smoke can drift in from other homes through hallways, stairwells, and ventilation systems.¹²
Why is it harmful?
Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 different chemicals, of which at least 400 are poisonous to man.¹¹ The World Health Organization reports that at least 70 cancer-causing chemicals have been identified specifically in secondhand smoke.¹³
Recent studies have estimated that non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke have their risk of lung cancer raised by about a quarter.¹⁴
Harms of secondhand smoke
Adults
- Eye, nose, and throat irritations
- Respiratory tract infections
- Heart disease and cancers
Children and infants
- More coughs and cold.
- Higher chance of irritation of the eyes and nose.
- Reduced lung growth and function.
- Increased susceptibility to coughs, wheezing and asthma.
- Higher risk of suffering ear and chest infections.
- Increased risk of sudden death for infants
How to Quit
Throw away all your lighters, ashtrays and cigarette packs! ALL of them, including the ones you have hidden in your drawer for 'emergency' purposes. Make it known to everyone that you are quitting to prevent you from failing!
When craving a smoke, remember the 4 Ds!
Distract yourself by doing something else
Eat a sweet, do some exercise and keep your mind occupied
Delay lighting up
Everytime you feel like lighting up, eat a sweet or drink some water to delay lighting up
Do deep breathing exercise to help you relax
Concentrate on your body and your breathing to get over your cravings
Drink a glass of water or milk slowly
Keep your hands and mouth busy
For more information and if you need help to quit, please call QuitLine at 1800 438 2000 or visit I Quit