Environmental tobacco smoke is a risk factor for lung cancer, as human carcinogens are present in the tobacco smoke inhaled by bystanders. Even if further scientific evidence were to confirm these dietary constituents as etiologic components of lung cancer, it is important to note that cigarette smoking continues to be the foremost risk factor for this cancer. Tobacco Use Prevention Young people are the most important target group for smoking prevention activities, since most smokers in Canada begin to smoke during adolescence. A major challenge for smoking prevention is to counteract the influences of the tobacco industry, which aggressively targets youth to maintain profits through the replacement of those adult smokers who quit or die each year. Cessation Those who quit smoking can greatly reduce their risk of developing lung cancer compared with those who continue to smoke.
Women are a particularly important target group for prevention and cessation efforts.
The prevalence of smoking among young women is now equal to and may even be higher than their male counterparts. Since the mid 1980s, federal and provincial departments of health and nongovernmental organizations with an interest in cancer control have implemented the National Strategy to Reduce Tobacco Use, with the goals of prevention, cessation and protection. Different interventions have been implemented to help nonsmokers stay smoke-free, to encourage and help smokers who want to quit smoking to do so, and to protect the health and rights of nonsmokers. There are no tests or techniques currently available that are effective in the early detection of lung cancer. Routine screening for lung cancer is not recommended by any medical organization.