E-cigarettes, cancer rates concern tobacco opponents

MONTREAL – Cancer rates have gone up for Quebeckers within the past decade by more than a percentage point for people 35 and up. But the reasons why are not entirely clear.

The Quebec Council for Tobacco and Health released those figures as part of its Tobacco-Free Week smoking cessation campaign. According to the CQTS, while cigarette smoking has steadily decreased over the past few decades, it has levelled off over the past seven years, just as cancer rates have jumped.

Part of the rise in cancers could be attributable to better screening.

“The data that we have now represents more the reality that maybe we underdiagnosed cancer before,” said Dr. Celine Bergeron, of the University of Montreal’s health system.

According to the CQTS, about half of all Canadians die from either a form of cancer or a form of heart disease. But while smoking is a factor in some of those maladies, it by no means is the only factor.

“All the cancers are not related to tobacco use, but a lot of them, more than 10 forms, are directly related to tobacco smoking,” said Mario Bujold, director of the CQTS.

About 1.6 million Quebeckers smoke cigarettes.

As part of its campaign, the council has released a series of shocking advertisements aimed at jolting the public into thinking about the detrimental effects cigarette smoke has on someone’s health. It is recommending that the price of cigarettes in Quebec go up to encourage people to quit smoking them, and it is calling for the regulation of so-called E-cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes are touted as a less-offensive, lower nicotine alternative to cigarette smoking. But unlike cigarettes, they are allowed in bars and restaurants. And rather than being used as a way to kick a smoking habit, analysts worry it could be an avenue into developing one.

“It’s a real danger to have more teenagers start smoking by using that firstly and afterward using the regular cigarette,” Bujold said.

Even smokers on the street seem to agree.

“I see a lot of people at the office these days trying them,” said Brett Fraser, a smoker who lives in NDG. “I don’t know if it’s any better or worse to be honest. I don’t know if the data is there.

“It’s such a new product.”