Smoking accounts for about 220 annual deaths in Chatham-Kent: report

Smoking accounts for 19.4 per cent of all deaths in Chatham-Kent, according to a recent Public Health Ontario report — and people in the region are smoking at a higher rate than the provincial average.

During Wednesday’s Board of Health meeting in Chatham, officials revealed numbers outlining the burden of tobacco use in the region.

When looking at Chatham-Kent, a report estimated 220 annual deaths are related to smoking (92 cancer, 63 respiratory, 62 cardiovascular), 766 hospitalizations and 1,723 emergency department visits. Making up 19.4 per cent of all deaths, 9.4 per cent of all hospitalizations and 4.4 per cent of all emergency department visits in Chatham-Kent.

From an Ontario perspective, smoking causes 16,673 deaths, 68,046 hospitalizations, and 125,384 emergency department visits annually. These make up 17 per cent of all deaths, 8.7 per cent of hospitalizations, and 3.4 per cent of emergency department visits from all causes in people aged 35 and older.

According to officials, the daily smoking rate, both tobacco and vaping, among Chatham-Kent residents aged 15 and older is about 19 per cent. This is higher than the reported Ontario average of 13 per cent.

The report notes the current smoking rates are difficult to summarize due to a lack of recent data, these numbers are from a 2015/2016 summary.

Those aged 20-44 have the highest smoking rate in Chatham-Kent at 23.2 per cent, followed by those 45-64 at 19.3 per cent, while those 65 and older have a rate of 10.4 per cent.

The board of health plans to reduce the burden of tobacco use in the community through a three pillared approach of “cessation, protection, and prevention.”

This includes:

• Encouraging and supporting smokers to make quit attempts
• Helping residents navigate cessation supports that are available to them
• Enforcing the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and support at locations where there are challenges
• Preventing new generations of nicotine addiction through education, skill building, and awareness raising activities for at-risk populations

About 4.1 per cent of Ontario students have smoked cigarettes in the last year, while 15.3 per cent have vaped.