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Health Issues
Smoking cigarettes is the primary risk factor for the top three causes of death in Canada: respiratory diseases, circulatory diseases, and cancer (BC Ministry of Health Services, 2004). Nicotine, the main active ingredient in tobacco, is a highly addictive substance but is only one small component of tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemicals including formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and benzene (Reading, 1999; AADAC, 2004). Maternal and paternal smoking during pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse outcomes for the fetus, infant and child including low birth weight, miscarriage, premature birth, sudden infant death syndrome, and respiratory problems (BC Reproductive Care Program, 2006). Every year, tobacco causes close to 6,000 deaths in British Columbia.
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