Tobacco control

Tobacco smoking causes 20% of cancer deaths in Australia, making it the highest individual cancer risk factor. Smoking is a known cause of 16 different cancer types and is the main cause of Australia’s deadliest cancer, lung cancer. Smoking is responsible for 88% of lung cancer deaths in men and 75% of lung cancer cases in women in Australia. (For context on lung cancers not caused by smoking, read this commentary from our CEO, Professor Ian Olver.)

The tobacco control chapter of our National Cancer Prevention Policy provides detailed information on the impact of tobacco on cancer in Australia, and outlines effective interventions and policy priorities aimed at reducing the cancer burden associated with tobacco.

For national policy recommendations on a range of individual tobacco control issues, see our suite of smoking and tobacco control position statements.

Tobacco facts and issues, produced by Cancer Council Victoria, is a comprehensive source of tobacco control information.

Cancer Council Australia also supports the tobacco control policy recommendations of the government-appointed National Preventative Health Taskforce, available here.

Sources: The Burden of Disease and Injury in Australia, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.