ASH has compiled the following list of some of the latest important international, national, state and local health reports, surveys and major studies on tobacco. They're grouped below (the latest are at the top in each category) under:

- HEALTH IMPACTS     NEW: higher risk of strokes for young women
- ADDICTIVENESS (including nicotine content)  
- SOCIAL/ECONOMIC IMPACTS (including public opinion) NEW: $300,000 bill per smoker
- SMOKING AND QUIT RATES   NEW: Quit ads save lives - world media rerport
- RESEARCH RESOURCES (other)

For latest SECONDHAND SMOKE research: see Smokefree Australia health research 

For more research on QUITTING: see ASH Australia's  smokers' page. 


HEALTH IMPACTS     (including death/disease rates)

Young women who smoke double stroke risk
14/8/08: Younger women who smoke have more than double the risk of stroke compared to nonsmokers, with the heaviest smokers among them having nine times the risk, according to a study in Stroke journal.  See   Reuters news report 14/8/08 

Few aware of bladder cancer link

30/7/08: While most people know that smoking can cause lung cancer, a study in the Journal of Urology shows only a third of adults know that it is a major risk factor for bladder cancer - even among people who have the disease.  See  Reuters Health report 30/7/08 

Smoking linked to female genital cancers

7/7/08: Tobacco has been confirmed as a risk factor for invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva and vagina, by Danish study in the International Journal of Cancer 2008;122:2827-2834.  See  Reuters Health report 7/7/08

Passive smoking is not linked to breast cancer
10/6/08: Analysis of data drawn from more than 200,000 women shows no link between exposure to secondhand smoke and development of breast cancer in never-smokers. Oxford University meta-analysis of the UK "Million Women Study" published in the International Journal of Epidemiology says earlier findings "may have been distorted by some women becoming more likely to report past exposures because they knew they had breast cancer."  See  study abstract    

Secondhand smoke raises child ear infection risk
19/5/08: An Australian report says ear infections could be cut by 16% in non-Aboriginal and 27% in Aboriginal children by removing secondhand smoke exposure. The report, by the Perth-based Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, appears in the latest 

 Medical Journal of Australia.   See  Telethon Institute media release 19/5/08 

Smoking causes a third of gum disease
1/5/08: Smoking is responsible for about one-third of all moderate-to-serious cases of periodontitis (gum disease) in Australia, says a study by Adelaide University's Research Centre for Population Adult Health.   See  study abstract 

Tobacco damages genes

March/April 2008: Researchers at the US National Cancer Institute have found 135 genes that affect lung activity are differently expressed as a result of smoking. These changes in gene expression can cause lung cancer.   See  The Cancer Council NSW newsletter, March/April 2008

Smoking linked with obesity in girls - and stunts boys 
26/3/08: Smoking doesn't help girls lose weight - but it does make boys shorter by around 2.5cm, says a new study published in the Annals of Epidemiology.  The study of over 400 boys and 400 girls aged 12-13 confirms earlier research about tobacco use and weight.      See  study abstract   and  Sydney Morning Herald report 26/3/08 
Other studies on obesity
- Smoking may cut muscle but add fat -  See study abstract   
- Smoking in adolescence linked with later abdominal obesity - especially female -  see  study abstract
- Children of mothers who smoked in pregnancy 40% more likely to be obese in adolescence - see  study 
- Currenty smokers have higher waist-hip ratios and bigger waists than ex-and-never-smokers - see study abstract    See also ASH media release 5/5/09 on similar earlier study

Smoking and passive smoking linked to colon cancer
9/2/08: A study at the University of Rochester (US) Medical Centre has found that colon cancer occurs earlier in life for both active and passive smokers. The earlier the age of exposure to tobacco smoke, the earlier the onset of the disease.   See  study abstract 
- Review of 42 studies shows link between smoking and precursor lesions of colorectal cancer - see  Science Daily report 2/2/08  

Poor sleep linked to smoking       
5/2/08: Smokers have greater difficulty falling asleep, sleep more lightly and experience more sleep disturbances than non-smokers, say researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  See  media report 5/2/08

"Smoker's acne face" a bad look
September '07: Study in British Journal of Dermatology identifies smoking-related acne and shows women aged 25-40 who smoke are four times more likely to have acne.  See  ASH media release 24/9/07    See  study and pic

What's the main cause of SIDS deaths?
July '07: Smoking has firmed as the main preventable factor in SIDS deaths, a new research review showing more than 80% of mothers of SIDS victims are smokers.  See  2007 review of studies    See  2006 Lancet study    Hear or read  ASH comment on ABC radio's PM 16/10/07 

Smoking may cause early menopause
7/7/07:  Women who smoke are more likely to start menopause before the age of 45 - putting them at higher risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. A new study from Norway published in BMC Public Health studied more than 2,000 women aged 59-60.  See  (provisional) study abstract

Even low passive exposure causes child vascular harm
June '07: Exposing children even to low levels of secondhand smoke increases their risk of developing cardiovascular disease in later life, says this study from Finland.  See the  study

Smoking dads can pass damaged genes to children
1/6/07: Children can inherit genetic damage from smoking fathers, says a new study in Cancer Research. The Canadian study used mice to show changes in the DNA sequence of sperm cells - changes that can be passed to offspring.  See the  study
Other studies on genetic harm:
- Smoking can also increase risk of passing obesity genes from father to son - See  Genomics report 12/05
- Women smoking while pregnant may cause permanent damage to foetal genes - increasing risk of cancer in later life.   See  2005 study  

Deaths fall but tobacco still Australia's no. 1 preventable health problem
25/5/07: Deaths from tobacco in Australia are declining, says a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – but ASH says strong leadership is needed to ensure declines in smoking rates continue with extra support for smokers in high risk groups. Tobacco deaths are down to around 15,500 a year - still Australia's single largest preventable cause of death, disease and disability. See The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003, section 4      See  ASH media release 25/5/07

Smoking makes you weak-kneed
3/5/07: In a world first, Australian researchers have found a link between smoking and weak knees. Scientists at the Menzies Research Institute in Hobart found smokers had a greater risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.  See the full study from  Arthritis and Rheumatism, May 2007

Smoking is a heartbreaker - even for the young at heart   
17/4/07: Though young adult smokers may appear healthy, smoking causes significant harm to their hearts, says a Polish study in Chest journal. Regular smoking apparently harms the heart's ability to relax between beats, reducing its pumping capacity.   See  ASH/National Heart Foundation media release 17/4/07      See  study abstract

Women continue to suffer from smoking diseases
16/4/07: Deaths and hospitalisation from asthma and COPD have fallen for men, but not for women, says a new Australian study published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia. The authors say more anti-smoking campaigns highlighting the risk of respiratory conditions should be directed specifically at women. See  MJA media release 16/4/07 

"Million women" study questions smoke-breast cancer link
1/1/07: Preliminary findings from the UK "Million Women Study" have cast doubt on earlier research (below) and suggest there is no link between tobacco smoke and the disease. Disagreement between experts, however, remains.  See  Boston Globe report 1/1/07  on the current debate and latest evidence
Other research on breast cancer:
- Cigarette smoke can change normal breast cells into cancerous cells - see  study abstract 

Smoking multiplies HPV-16-related cervical cancer risk 
4/12/06: Cigarette smoking significantly raises the likelihood of cervical cancer connected with human papillomavirus (HPV-16), says a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.   See study abstract

Heavy smokers need to quit, not just cut down
28/11/06: Tobacco Control  has just published a large longitudinal Norwegian study which shows that heavy smokers who reduce their smoking, do not reduce their mortality risk. 
See  the study

Pregnant women 'program' kids to smoke
28/11/06: Children whose mother smoked during pregnancy are almost three times more likely to take up the habit when they are teenagers, says an Australian study published in Tobacco Control. The study tracked 3000 mothers and 4500 children over 20 years.    See  Melbourne Age report 28/11/06    See  full study 

Long-term smokers six times more likely to develop incurable lung disease
17/10/06: At least one in four "hardened" smokers will develop Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). A new study in Thorax journal says persistent smokers are six times more likely to get the incurable condition, which can include emphysema and bronchitis.  See  newkerala.com report 17/10/06      See the  study 

Death rate cut by smoking decline, sustained progress "essential": cancer study

26/9/06: A study of US cancer deaths has found they would not have fallen since the 1990s without a decline in smoking. The study concludes that "The payoff from past investments in tobacco control has only just begun.... sustained progress in tobacco control is essential if we are to continue to make progress against cancer."   See full  Tobacco Control paper  

Smokers have higher risk of HIV infection
21/9/06: Smoking may increase the risk of infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. A research review in Sexually Transmitted Infections journal found five of six studies showed smokers were between 1.6 and 3.5 times more likely to have undergone HIV seroconversion. Authors say smoking may be an independent risk factor connected with its impact on the immune system.  See  review abstract   

Smoking in pregnancy contributes to child's later obesity
15/8/06: Adolescents are more likely to be obese if their mother smoked while pregnant with them, says an Australian study of over 3,000 children.  See  American Journal of Epidemiology study

Babies may absorb smoke residue in the home
7/8/06: As any parent knows, crawling babies explore the world by touching - and tasting - anything they can get their wet little hands on. Including smoking residue.  See latest research in  USA Today 7/8/06 

Parental smoking may boost child leukaemia risk
28/6/06: A study of smoking fathers has shown children suffer increased risk of leukaemia from their parents' secondhand smoke. The study has been published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (June 2006), 163:1091-1100.   See  study

Smoking parents expose children to cancer-causing chemicals
12/5/06: New parents who smoke put their infants in danger because secondhand smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals. A study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention has found the chemicals in the urine of infants exposed to parents' smoking. See  HealthDay News report 12/5/06   See  media report and study

Secondhand smoke may cause diabetes
7/4/06: a new study in the British Medical Journal  has suggested for the first time that secondhand smoke may trigger diabetes. The study also points to primary smoking increasing glucose intolerance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes.  See  SmokeFree Australia media release 7/4/06   See  BMJ abstract 

Older women smokers at higher risk of emphysema
3/4/06: Fortysomething women who smoke are finding it harder to blow out - unlike our health system, unless more is done about COPD.  See   study abstract      See ASH Australia media release 3/4/06

Mortality over the 20th century in Australia: trends & patterns in major causes 

5/4/06: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released this new report  analysing causes of death from 1907 to 2000. The report describes patterns and trends in mortality, highlighting successes and areas of concern. See  report  and  media release

Smoking increases impotence risk by 40%
23/3/06: Men who smoke a pack a day are 40% more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than non-smokers, says a new study in Tobacco Control.   See  full study

Heavy smokers triple risk of middle-aged death 
21/3/06: Large study of over 50,000 Norwegians in Annals of Internal Medicine shows continued heavy smoking as against non-smoking increases death risk between ages 40-70 from 9% - 26% (men) and from 14% - 41% (women).    See  abstract 

Smoking increases risk of cervical cancer 
15/3/06: Cigarette smoking increases a woman's risk of developing cancer of the cervix, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the younger the age at which smoking began, according to a new report.  Cancer Research UK in Oxford reports in the International Journal of Cancer  that current smokers have a 60% greater risk of cervical cancer than women who never smoked. See  abstract 

Smoking linked to prostate cancer progression 
Jan. 2006: Smoking influences progression and prognosis of prostate cancer through impact on related genes, a new study in Cancer  journal indicates.  See  abstract  or  full study 

Smokers up to 4 times more likely to get oral cancer
30/11/05: Smokers can be as much as four times more likely to get oral cancer - but more than 95% are not aware of the link, says a new study from the Cancer Council Victoria.  See QuitVic media release 30/11/05 

Brain harm in alcoholics may be partly from tobacco
Oct 2005: Poorer mental function among alcoholics may be partly due to their smoking, says a new study in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.  See the abstract

Smoking raises breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women
Oct 2005: Long-term smoking increases the risk of breast cancer in older postmenopausal women by up to 40 percent, according to a US report in Cancer Causes and Control.  See the  abstract

Even moderate smoking trebles heart/cancer death risk
22/9/05: "Social smokers", take heed: even a 1-4 cigarette-a-day habit still trebles your risk of death from heart disease or cancer, says a large new study published in Tobacco Control. See National Heart Foundation media release 22/9/05     See the full study    

Smokers: do that and you'll go blind
Sept 2005: Smokers are 2-3 times more likely to go blind from Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in later life, according to a review of studies published in Eye, the journal of the Royal College of Opthalmologists.   See review abstract 

Smoking really costs an arm and a leg
31/8/05: New report from ASH UK on incidence of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) - smokers have 10-16 times greater risk of developing this disease which can lead to amputation. See report pdf 

Study links passive smoke to diabetes, coronary artery disease 
11/8/05: ASH media release on study linking secondhand smoke exposure with adolescent development of a syndrome connected with Diabetes II and coronary artery disease. See also study abstract, Circulation

Smoking while pregnant linked to child hyperactivity and unruly behaviour 

2/8/05: Report in The Australian (2/8/05) on new UK study linking smoking while pregnant with antisocial behaviour and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  See also study abstract, British Journal of Psychiatry 

Quit and save your teeth: smokers six times more likely to have gum disease
18/7/05: Abstract of new UK study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology showing smokers who quit are much less likely to lose their teeth prematurely.

Smokeless tobacco increases pancreatic cancer risk

12/5/05: The use of Smokeless tobacco is associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, according to a report in the May 10th issue of the International Journal of Cancer 2005;114:992-995

Smoking doubles eye disorder risk
April 2005: People who smoke double their risk of a degenerative eye disorder that is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, says a new study in the British Journal of Opthalmology. See also Sept 2005 review, Eye journal:  abstract 

Smoking at 60 doubles death risk
24/4/05: New actuarial figures from the UK show smoking at age 60 doubles your death risk. New tables conservatively estimate the risk at different ages in this Times Online report.  

Smoking linked with MS progression 
March 2005: Abstract of study in Brain journal, showing smoking may contribute to the progression of Multiple Sclerosis. The Harvard School of Public Health researchers suggest that quitting could limit or delay central nervous system deterioration.

Is there a link between smoking and breast cancer? The answer now (March 2005) appears to be "Yes." Spool down to CANCER on this page for the latest research findings.

SIDS child deaths could be prevented by cutting secondhand smoke (2005)
See Feb. 2005 NSW Child death review report showing smoking at home plays a large part in these deaths; and check www.smokefreezone.org.au  for latest updates on the Car & Home, Smokefree Zone campaign.

Smoking inhibits fat burning, causes flabby midriff 
Jan. 2005: Young women are misled by those glamorous smoking waifs, says Scottish study in International Journal of Obesity. 

Vitamin E loss from smoking increases health risks 
Jan. 2005: New studies from Oregon State University in the US show Vitamin E disappears more quickly in smokers than in non-smokers. The findings may help explain how smoking causes cancer. 

Cognitive harm to kids from even low levels of passive smoking  (2005)

This US study of more than 4,000 children 6-16 yrs old has found a significant reduction of cognitive results even after “extremely low levels” of secondhand smoke exposure. And see previous studies on learning harm....

The Health Consequences of Smoking 2004
US Surgeon-General's latest report. Very comprehensive. Includes what the report means to you, flash animations, pdf and htm links.  Invaluable resource.  

Smoking doesn't just hurt ageing hearts 
This study in Tobacco Control  (Sept 2004) shows smoking quintuples the risk of non-fatal heart attacks in your late-thirties.

Smoking parents give kids 9 times higher risk of meningococcal disease
Study from Queensland published August 2004. Increased risk was previously believed to be x4. The smoking-meningococcal link was something Philip Morris knew but kept kept under wraps.  See our earlier release 28/11/01, Smoking multiplies meningococcal risk  

"Lights" do not reduce lung cancer risk  
Jan 2004 study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, published in British Medical Journal, samples almost a million people and finds "light"/ "low-tar" brand smokers fare no better than other smokers.  See also CNN report on the study. 

Smoking and cancer  
Major 2002 research review from WHO's International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) says tobacco is connected with a wider range of cancers than previously thought; also confirms passive smoke causes cancer in non-smokers.

Chronic Diseases and Associated Risk Factors in Australia 2001  
Report from the AIHW on the role of tobacco in chronic diseases like asthma, COPD (emphysema), more. Includes death rates, prevalence figures, health costs.

Health effects of smoking
See brief summary (2005) from The Cancer Council NSW - and note that the evidence is growing all the time!  Or for a bit more detail, see Australian government 2006 factsheet  How smoking harms your health.

ADDICTIVENESS   (including nicotine content)

More than 100 additives hook or hide
31/7/07: More than 100 documented additives in cigarettes have the effect of increasing addictiveness or hiding health harm or smell, says a study in the American Journal of Public Health. The authors say their findings "provide a clear rationale for regulatory control of tobacco additives."  See  study abstract 

Youths can be hooked in two days
July '07: New study on youth dependence in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine says some youths lose autonomy over tobacco within two days of first inhaling; dependence, withdrawal symptoms and failed attempts at cessation can precede daily smoking.   See  abstract and link to full study    Children can show dependence from first puff, says earlier study - see  ASH media release 4/9/06  including link to the full study  

Nicotine doses may have risen

31/8/06: ASH has called for full disclosure and greater regulatory control over tobacco products in Australia, in the wake of a US report suggesting average nicotine doses in cigarettes may have risen as much as 10% (and in some brands as much as 20%) over the past six years.   See  ASH media release 31/8/06     See the  Massachusetts report and factsheets  

SOCIAL/ECONOMIC IMPACTS  (including public opinion)

Retailer arguments defending tobacco displays slammed by report
2/7/08: A study and research review in the NZ Medical Journal  has blasted retailer arguments against an out-of-sight policy as “contradictory, flawed and unsupported by evidence.”  The same arguments are being put to Australian governments by tobacco dealers.  See  ASH media release 2/7/08     See  NZMJ study abstract  

How to burn up $300,000
9/5/08: Cigarettes cost the average Australian smoker $300,000 during their (seriously shortened) lifetime, says new statistical analysis. The estimate - and some other startling figures - are in a letter from South Australian infectious diseases physician Dr Ross Philpot to the Medical Journal of Australia.    See  the letter

Smoking rates fall again, and public wants more
28/4/08: The 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey shows very strong and growing public support for anti-tobacco measures.  See the first report (pdf)

Tobacco's $31b drain on Australian economy
9/4/08: Tobacco is responsible for more than $31b a year in costs to the Australian community, says a new report from the National Drug Strategy. NDS Monograph 64,  summary and full report     Tobacco is responsible each year  for:

• Around 15,000 deaths, including 36 aged under 15.

• 56% of total drug abuse costs - more than alcohol and all other drugs combined.  

• Over $15b in workplace costs - double alcohol plus all other drugs combined.

• Over $12b in crime costs - more than alcohol or any other drug.

• Over 750,000 hospital bed days - around 8% of them by children under 15.

• Over $600m hospital costs.

Strong public support for government action against tobacco
16/10/07: A new AMA/ACOSH survey has showed very strong support for government spending on Quit campaigns, full disclosure of ingredients, mandatory anti-smoking ads in cinemas and an end to tobacco political donations.  See  AMA/ACOSH media release 16/10/07 

Health costs would plummet from modest smoking rate reduction (2005) 
Study published July 2005 in the Medical Journal of Australia (Hurley S et al) showing over 3000 heart attack and over 1000 stroke hospitalisations could be avoided and more than $60m in health care costs saved in the short-term, if smoking rates fell by 1% every year for the next five years.

Smoking is NOT sexy (2005)
Another tobacco PR myth exposed - by this March 2005 survey from Glaxo Smith Kline. 

Reduced smoking in NSW would help poorest most
June 2004 macroeconomic study by Junor et al, commissioned by Cancer Council NSW, kiboshes theory that tobacco control penalises the poor.

SMOKING AND QUIT RATES   
(prevalence, including children; impacts on prevalence & quitting) ]

Tobacco shop displays predispose children to smoke
6/6/06: New study from The Cancer Council Victoria shows how removing tobacco products from view would help reduce encouragement of kids to smoke.  See ASH media release 2/6/06 with link to study

2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey
Latest figures on smoking rates in Australia shows a fall to 19% Australians smoking at least weekly.  For comment, see ASH media release 7/4/05

Smoking Behaviours of Australian Secondary Students in 2002
Latest survey by National Tobacco Strategy (published November 2004) shows there are still more than 200,000 school students smoking weekly - and almost a quarter are getting it from retail. See also ASH media release 24/11/04

The Health Behaviour of Secondary Students NSW 1998-2002
Survey by NSW Health and The Cancer Council NSW (published November 2004), showing schoolie smoking is generally falling - but girls 12-15 are smoking more - and disturbing numbers are getting it from retailers with no check on their age.  See also ASH media release 2/11/04

RESEARCH RESOURCES

Global Tobacco Research Network (GTRN)
April 2005: New network, specifically created to help international community of tobacco control researchers. Includes in-depth and searchable researcher profiles, clearinghouse of training and funding opportunities, international tobacco control literature database, links to tobacco control data sources, technical resources and interactive tools. 

Tobacco control in Europe
Comprehensive overview of tobacco control in the EU 25 plus Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Covers health effects, economic burden,  history of EU action, interventions,  evidence, product regulation, tobacco industry strategies and recommendations for future EU and national action, plus overview of national legislation. Full report in English, executive summary in all 20 EU languages. You can also download proposed graphic warnings here. 

National Cancer Prevention Policy 2004-06 
From the Cancer Council Australia. Gives a high priority to tobacco control.

Women, Tobacco and Cancer: An Agenda for the 21st Century
July 2004 report for the National Cancer Institute. In pdf.

The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Implications for Global Epidemics of Food-related Deaths and Disease     
Jan 2004 paper in Journal of Public Health Policy (vol. 24 (3/4) reviewing major elements of the FCTC and considering how they can be applied to diet and nutrition issues.

ETS in Australia  
2002 report on second-hand tobacco smoke in Australia, including research review, legal interventions, education and policy recommendations.

Indigenous Australians and Tobacco: a literature review  
Comprehensive 2001 report including history, prevalence, attitudes, health effects, programs and interventions. Find under Publications - Research Reports.

Aboriginal Smoking Report  
Tobacco: Time for Action, 2002.

Australian National Quit Campaign Evaluation:
Report 1 and Report 2

Commonwealth Health Departments' Policy on Tobacco
Smoking and tobacco related disease in NSW - an agenda for control, 1999
A review by the Cancer Council NSW of the evidence and the reasons why a greater commitment is needed to reduce smoking rates.

Vision 2020  
A Report on the Future of Tobacco Use, 2000.

What smokers think about quitting: Finding the strength to kill your best friend (2001)

A report on what dentists can do about smoking, 2001

Page last updated 26/8/08