Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative
DIABETES factSHEET
Cat. no. H21-195/2002-4
ISBN: 0-662-66479-5
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Smoking and Diabetes
Some Aboriginal people in Canada use tobacco in ceremonies and in prayer.
Smoking cigarettes, however, is not a traditional use of tobacco.
Cigarette smoking causes many health problems. These problems can be
even more serious for people with diabetes.
Most people know that smoking causes cancer and breathing problems.
But it can also cause other problems, especially if you have diabetes.
Because smoking decreases the way blood flows through your body, it increases
the chance of long term complications of diabetes including heart disease
and amputation.
Here are the facts:
- When you smoke, less oxygen flows inside your body. This can cause
a heart attack or a stroke.
- Smoking damages your blood vessels, which makes it harder for your
body to heal.
- This can lead to infections in your legs and feet.
- If you smoke and you have diabetes, you are more likely to get nerve
damage and kidney disease.
- Smokers are more likely to get colds and respiratory infections.
- Smoking can lead to impotence.
- Children are more likely to start smoking if their parents smoke.
The good news is that no matter how long you've smoked, your health
will start to improve right after you quit or cut down a lot on the amount
that you smoke. Kicking the habit is hard to do - but worth it. There
are many ways to try to quit.
For more information contact your health care provider.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a lifelong condition where your body does not produce
enough insulin, or your body cannot use the insulin it produces. Your
body needs insulin to change the sugar from food into energy.
For more information please visit www.healthcanada.ca/diabetes.
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