Facts on tobacco use in Canada as government eyes new packaging rules

OTTAWA – Health advocates said Monday that Canada’s efforts to force tobacco manufacturers to use plain packaging will get a boost from a recent decision on similar measures in Uruguay. Here are some facts on tobacco use in Canada:

— Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada, including about 30 per cent of all cancer deaths.

— Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Canada.

— Smokers are about 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.

— Among women, the number of lung cancer deaths is double the number of breast cancer deaths.

— More than 250 Canadians die from lung cancer every year as a result of long-term exposure to second-hand smoke at home, at work and in public.

— Smoking kills 37,000 Canadians annually.

— The 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey found that 18 per cent of Canadians — or more than 5 million people — are smokers.

Source: Canadian Cancer Society