Smoking Statistics
Harm Caused by Tobacco
Death
Tobacco smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in Australia. In Australia, tobacco accounts for over 19 000 deaths each year.i
In Western Australia, an average of 1,500 deaths per year are attributable to smoking, with an estimated 18% of all male deaths and 10% of all female deaths in 2001 being due to tobacco smoking.ii
Five conditions were responsible for 85% of tobacco-caused deaths over the 1983-2001 period, including lung cancer (30%), ischaemic heart disease (23%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (19%), stroke (8%) and atherosclerosis (5%).ii
Hospitalisation
In Western Australia in 2002 tobacco was responsible for 14,455 hospital admissions and 84,245 bed days.iii In 2001, five conditions were responsible for 68% of the tobacco-caused hospital admissions in that year, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (24%), ischaemic heart disease (21%), lung cancer (9%), atherosclerosis (7%) and cardiac dysrhythmias (7%).ii
Costs of Tobacco Smoking to the Community and the Health Sector
Tobacco smoking places a substantial financial burden on the community. Health economists have estimated that in 1998-99 the tangible and intangible costs of smoking to Australia were $21.1 billion.iv
The tangible costs refer to the total combined cost of health care expenditure, loss of human productivity (labour costs), fires and resources used in abusive consumption. The intangible costs refer to the loss of life. Costs which are not quantifiable (which could not be included in the figures above) include pain and suffering of the sick and the suffering of others.iv
In 2002, smoking-related hospitalisations cost the West Australian health system over $60 million.iii
Prevalence
Adults
The prevalence of daily smoking among the West Australian adult population has fallen significantly from 32% in 1984v to 21% in 2001vi. Twenty-two percent of adult males are daily smokers, compared to 20% of females. An additional 4% of West Australian adults are occasional smokers, smoking less often than daily.vi
Youth
The prevalence of smoking among students aged 12 to 17 years is at its lowest level since 1984, when they were first measured. Current smoking prevalence has decreased since the last survey in 1999, from 17% to 10% in 2002.vii Click on this link (PDF) for more results from the 2002 Australian School Students Alcohol and Drug Survey.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
In 2001, 50% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People were current smokers, with 45% being daily smokers.i
Legislation and Policy
Retailer Compliance
In 2002 45% of all attempts to purchase cigarettes by a child under 18 years of age were successful, with 70% of retail outlets in the Perth metropolitan area prepared to sell cigarettes to children on at least one purchase attempt.viii Click on this link (PDF) for more results from the 2002 Tobacco Retailer Compliance Survey.
Community Support for Legislation and Policy
A survey of West Australians in 2001 indicated that:
- 90% support stricter enforcement of the law against supplying minors;
- 69% support the immediate ban of tobacco advertising at sporting events;
- 82% support banning smoking in the workplace;
- 87% support banning smoking in shopping centres;
- 86% support banning smoking in restaurants;
- 62% support banning smoking in pubs/clubs;
- 66% support increasing tax on tobacco products to pay for health education;
- 62% support increasing tax on tobacco products to discourage smoking; and
- 60% support making it harder to buy tobacco in shopsvi.
REFERENCES
i Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Statistics on Drug Use in Australia 2002. AIHW cat. No. PHE 43. Canberra: AIHW (Drug Statistics Series no. 12), 2003.
ii Unwin E, Codde J, Bartu A. The impact of tobacco smoking on the health of Western Australians. Perth: Drug and Alcohol Office and the Epidemiology Branch, Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003.
iii Epidemiology Branch, Health Information Centre, Department of Health. Overview of the major causes of hospitalisations for State residents. Perth: Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003.
iv Collins DJ, Laplsey HM. Counting the costs: Estimates of the social costs of drug abuse in Australia in 1998-99. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2002.
v Public Health Division. Smoking and Health in Western Australia 1998 Resource Book. Perth: Health Department of Western Australia, 1998.
vi Drug and Alcohol Office. 2001 National Drug Strategy Household Survey. First Results for Western Australia, Perth: Drug and Alcohol Office, 2003.
vii Quit WA, Department of Health and the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council of Victoria. Cigarette consumption among Western Australian school students in 2002 - Summary bulletin. Perth: Department of Health, Western Australia, 2004.
viii Quit WA, Department of Health. 2002 Tobacco Retailer Compliance Survey - Summary bulletin. Perth: Department of Health, Western Australia, 2003.