Most people in the UK think that smoking is only linked to cancers of the lung and mouth, according to a new survey.
Tobacco has been linked to a range of cancers – but fewer than 40 per cent of people know there is a link to stomach cancer, according to the survey of more than 4,000 people.
And fewer than 20 per cent know there are links to leukaemia and cancers of organs such as the liver, bowel, kidney, bladder and ovary.
The survey was published by Cancer Research UK as yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of England’s smoke-free legislation, which banned smoking in work-places and in pubs and bars. It was conducted by on-line pollsters YouGov.
Professor Robert West, of Cancer Research UK, said: "Smokers may often gamble with their chance of developing the disease. The addiction can lead people to reason that they might avoid lung cancer. But the odds aren’t good.
"And these alarming results show what could be a fatal level of ignorance about the toxic hit list from tobacco.
"There are only two options to eliminate illness caused by smoking: help smokers to quit and stop young people from starting to smoke.”
Jean King, director of tobacco control at the charity, said: “The list of cancers linked to smoking is truly shocking. It’s a long list of body parts that are affected, reflecting just how deadly tobacco is.
"One of the major problems with smoking is the strength of the addiction."
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