RESEARCH ALERT
Some vapes use added chemicals to create a cold or icy feeling. New research has raised concerns about three of them: WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5. We do not yet know how common they are in Wales.
SMOKING & ORAL CANCER
Smoking and oral cancer: reducing tobacco exposure matters.
Smoking and other forms of tobacco increase the risk of cancers affecting the mouth, tongue, lips and throat.
Is there any point stopping now?
Yes. The NHS recommends quitting smoking and stopping chewing tobacco, betel nut or paan as ways to lower the risk of mouth cancer.
Free support in Wales
Help Me Quit offers free NHS stop smoking support across Wales.
How smoking affects oral cancer
Tobacco exposes tissues in the mouth and throat to cancer-causing chemicals. Risk can be higher when tobacco use is combined with heavy alcohol consumption.
What happens when you stop?
Stopping removes ongoing tobacco exposure and lowers the risk of several cancers and other smoking-related diseases over time.
For diagnosis or treatment
If you have a mouth ulcer, lump, patch or other change that is not going away, speak to a dentist or GP. ASH Wales does not diagnose oral cancer.