Many smokers are unaware of the multitude of poisonous substances found in cigarettes

Medical News Today: The British public is unaware of the multitude of poisonous chemicals found in cigarette smoke - according to a survey carried out for Cancer Research UK.

Smoke from cigarettes contains some 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. But three quarters of people surveyed were not able to name a single chemical, other than nicotine and tar which are listed on cigarette packs. Of those who said they know a lot about the dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke, 68 per cent could not name any. Even when given a list of poisons to choose from, more than two in five people were not able to identify a single one.

The results of the survey were published today (Monday) at the launch of the charity’s hard-hitting new anti-tobacco campaign, ‘Smoke is Poison’. By raising awareness of the poisons in cigarette smoke - which include, arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde - the campaign aims to save some of the tens of thousands of lives lost to smoking related diseases every year in the UK.

The main element of the campaign is a groundbreaking series of TV advertisements, filmed by award winning reporter and acclaimed documentary maker, Donal MacIntyre. Using the cover story of making a health and safety documentary, MacIntyre interviews professionals - including scientists, undertakers, and a crime museum curator - who use dangerous chemicals on a daily basis about the stringent precautions they take to protect their health.

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