Lung cancer is main cause of cancer death

The following article is the second in a series of columns by the Canadian Cancer Society that will be running in Windspeaker, providing information on healthy living from an Aboriginal perspective.

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer death for both men and women in Ontario and the risk of getting lung cancer is higher when you smoke commercial tobacco.
"Commercial tobacco use is much higher within the Aboriginal population," says Nancy Korstanje, Manager of Community Integration and Promotion at Smokers' Helpline "Aboriginal people have used tobacco for thousands of years for rituals, ceremonies and medicinal purposes," says Korstanje. "It is important to know the difference between Sacred Tobacco and commercial tobacco."
There are more than ten different plants related to Sacred Tobacco, which when used properly can communicate to the Spirit World and to the Creator. Commercial tobacco products, however, are addictive and smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in Ontario.
The good news is that it's never too late to quit smoking commercial tobacco.
When you stop smoking, your body begins to clean itself of the poisons in commercial tobacco. And within 10 years of quitting, the risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half and the risk of getting other cancers is close to that of a non-smoker.
Whenever someone is trying to quit, the Canadian Cancer Society Smokers' Helpline at 1 877 513-5333, and Smokers' Helpline Online at www.smokershelpline.ca, are only a call or click away.
They can help make will power stronger and improve the chances of success.
"Quitting smoking is the single best thing someone can do to improve their health," said Korstanje. "When someone decides to quit smoking and wants to talk about it, Smokers' Helpline and Smokers' Helpline Online are there to help."