Lung disease is the third leading cause of death among Canadians. Lung cancer is the number one leading cause of cancer death.
Cigarette smoking is the single most important cause of preventable illness and death in Canada.
This year, more women will die from lung cancer than from breast cancer. With youth smoking rates on the rise, there is real cause for concern. More young men and women 15 to 19 years of age are smoking now than in the late 1980s or early 1990s. The same trend is true for young males. Second hand smoke is also associated with middle ear infections, asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.