Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in NSW. It is associated with an increased risk of respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Smoking can also harm others, either through exposure to second-hand smoke, or the harmful effects on unborn babies of smoking during pregnancy.

There is growing evidence that vaping products are harmful, especially for young people. Most vaping products contain nicotine (even though it may not be listed on the label), placing people who vape at risk of long-term nicotine addiction.

When someone vapes, the substance they inhale can contain over 200 chemicals, including formaldehyde, arsenic, mercury, heavy metals, solvents, and volatile organic compounds. These chemicals have been shown to be harmful to health and can cause cancer, heart disease, and lung damage.

Other health harms associated with vaping include nicotine poisoning, throat irritation, breathlessness, cough, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and lung damage.

NSW Health is committed to reducing the prevalence and harms of smoking and vaping in our community and protecting the public from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke and vape aerosol.

Read through this page to learn more about tobacco smoking and vaping in NSW. Click on the following images and the indicators listed in the A-Z directory below to see more detailed NSW data on this topic.

Smoking and vaping

Data for Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN

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