The Big Kill

Quit Victoria today launched updated figures showing that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in every local government area in Victoria.

Data from the Cancer Council Victoria for the period 2002-2005 show that on average, out of every 1000 deaths in Victoria:

• 119 are caused by smoking
• 24 are caused by alcohol
• 12 are caused by road deaths
  
• and 3 are caused by other drugs, including heroin

Victoria's peak health bodies, including the ADAVB, joined Quit in sending letters to all Victorian Parliamentarians, urging them to consider the impact of smoking in their own communities and to take further steps to reduce the overwhelming harms of tobacco, including offering support for a complete ban on the display of cigarette packets at retail outlets.