Tobacco use is the biggest preventable cause of cancer. Whether you smoke cigarettes or shisha, use paan, chewing tobacco or other tobacco products, it still counts and increases your risk of cancer.
It Still Counts.
RM Partners North West and South West London Cancer Alliance, supported by Cancer Research UK, is launching a new awareness campaign on the cancer risks associated with tobacco use, including shisha and the different types of chewing and smokeless tobacco.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the different types of tobacco and its harms, promote recognition of the most common tobacco-related cancers signs and symptoms and encourage prompt help-seeking to GP practices and use of local tobacco cessation services.
What counts as tobacco?
Many people do not realise that tobacco comes in different forms.
Tobacco isn’t just found in cigarettes. It’s also used in shisha, cigars, bidis, gutkha, naswar, chewing tobacco and some forms of paan.
If it contains tobacco, it increases your risk of cancer.
Tobacco and cancer
Tobacco harms more than just your lungs.
Tobacco smoking is linked to at least 16 different types of cancer, including cancers affecting:
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Head, neck and chest: nasal cavity, oral cavity (mouth), pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), lung and breast.
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Digestive system and abdominal organs: oesophagus (food pipe), stomach, liver, pancreas, bowel and kidney.
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Other parts of the body: bladder, ovary, cervix and myeloid leukaemia (blood and bone marrow).
Get support to quit
Quitting tobacco is the best thing you can do for your health, and support is available.
Find free support near you
Local tobacco cessation services support people who smoke cigarettes and may also support those who use shisha or smokeless tobacco products, such as paan or chewing tobacco. As support for non-cigarette tobacco products varies by area, people should contact their local service for advice on what support might be available to them.
Find your nearest tobacco cessation service and further information at:
Support to Quit Smoking – Stop Smoking London
Free quit support app
Whether you smoke cigarettes, shisha or use other tobacco products, the Smokefree app can help you build a quit plan, manage cravings and stay motivated on your journey to becoming tobacco-free.
Did you know?
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Research has shown that you can inhale the same amount of smoke in a 45-minute shisha session as if you smoked 100 cigarettes. This means high amounts of toxic substances are taken in, even during one session.
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Shisha and other smoked tobacco products can cause cancer, including cancers of the mouth, throat, lungs, stomach, liver and bladder.
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Chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products can cause cancer of the mouth, food pipe (oesophagus) and pancreas.
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Many people wrongly believe products such as shisha, paan and chewing tobacco are less harmful. They are not a safe alternative to cigarettes.
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Many people do not realise the risks. These products are often used in social or cultural settings and can seem harmless, but they contain tobacco which is harmful and addictive.
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Second-hand shisha smoke is harmful, exposing people nearby to toxic chemicals like carbon monoxide and cancer-causing chemicals.
Get involved in the campaign
Please help support the campaign by spreading the word across your social media. In the toolkit below you’ll find assets and messaging you can use.
The campaign is supported by RM Partners North West and South West London Cancer Alliance.
Watch: If it contains tobacco, it still counts
Resources from Cancer Research UK
