Smoking not only causes lung cancer but can kill and change lives in an instant by causing a devastating stroke, health authorities warn.
Australia's 2.6 million smokers have been implored to quit as part of a new awareness campaign amid research that shows tobacco smoking doubles the risk of the devastating disease.
The toxic chemicals inhaled through tobacco smoke damage blood vessel walls, causing arteries to narrow and harden.
This increases the chance of blood clots forming and causing a stroke.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan says smokers need to take heed of the warning and say goodbye to cigarettes to reduce their stroke risk.
"If not only for themselves, but for the people they love, " said Ms McGowan.
While more Australians are surviving stroke, for survivors and their families its impact is far-reaching.
Former smoker Jayson Killick had to learn how to walk and talk again after he suffered a stroke in 2010 at the age of 35 while driving a taxi.
"Stroke had a massive impact on my life," Mr Killick said.
Extreme fatigue, problems with balance and bouts of depression were common.
"If you think giving up smoking is hard, living with stroke is even harder," he said
New data released on World No Tobacco Day, Thursday May 31, shows a 7.3 per cent drop in smoking rates in NSW over the past 15 years.
According to the latest NSW Population Health Survey 15.2 per cent of adults smoked in NSW in 2017, down from 22.5 per cent in 2002, and more than half of NSW adults have never taken up smoking.
NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said NSW Health’s NSW Tobacco Strategy was working to help people quit smoking for good.
“It’s good to see significant progress in tobacco control in NSW but we need to be vigilant to ensure that smoking rates continue to decrease, as there has been a stabilisation of rates in recent years,” Dr Chant said.
- Smokers wanting to quit are urged to talk to their GP or call the National Quitline on 13 78 48 (13 QUIT).