Did you know smoking increases your risk of dementia? 

People who smoke are more likely to die from dementia than people who don’t smoke. 

In a study of over 178,000 people followed over time, researchers from the Australian National University found strong evidence linking smoking to death from 23 different causes in Australia — including dementia. Compared with people who never smoked, people who smoked were 60% more likely to die from dementia during the study period. 

Smoking harms circulation and blood vessels in the body, including the blood vessels that supply the brain. This is likely to contribute to the development of dementia.

Many people know smoking causes cancer and heart disease. But fewer people know it can also affect brain health.

The ANU study also showed that any number of cigarettes increases the risk of early death, and the risks increase the more a person smokes. People who smoke die on average 10 years younger than people who have never smoked, and an estimated 66 people in Australia die each day from smoking-related diseases. 

The good news is that quitting smoking has benefits at any age. The earlier you quit,the better. People who quit before age 45 largely avoided the increased risk of dying early. 

What is dementia?

Dementia is a brain condition. It is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia is more than just memory loss. It can affect thinking, mood, behaviour, spatial awareness, sleep and everyday tasks. 

Dementia is a broad term to describe a large group of illnesses that cause a gradual decline in how a person thinks, functions and communicates. There are many different types of dementia – in fact there are more than 100 different types - with the most common form being Alzheimer’s disease. 

While we can’t change things like getting older, genetics or family history, there are steps we can take to look after our brain health. One important step is quitting smoking.

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What are the early signs of dementia?

Early signs of dementia can be subtle and different for each person.

‍Common signs can include:

• memory loss  

• trouble doing familiar tasks  

• confusion about time or place  

• problems remembering simple words  

• trouble understanding written words or what people are saying  

• difficulty following directions  

• misplacing things more often  

• changes in mood, behaviour or personality  

• losing interest or motivation.  

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Knowing the early signs of dementia can help people get support earlier. While we can’t change things like age, genetics or family history, not smoking is one of the things we can do to help lower our risk of dementia. By quitting smoking, you can reduce or delay your risk of developing dementia.

Getting support early can help people access the right care and maintain independence for longer.

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How can I find out more about dementia and support services?

Dementia Australia provides trusted information and support services for individuals, families and carers impacted by dementia. The National Dementia Helpline has a team of highly trained National Dementia Helpline Advisors who provide 24/7 information, advice and support.  

The National Dementia Helpline is a free service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Anyone can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or visit dementia.org.au for live chat and email support.  

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I want to protect my brain health. What should I do now?

Quitting smoking is one important step you can take to protect your brain health and lower your risk of dementia.

It is never too late to quit. No matter how long you have smoked, quitting has benefits for your health. Quitting for good is a learning curve and can take time.  Many people try more than once before they quit for good. Support can make a big difference.

To get started, try our free Quit Planner for a personalised step-by-step plan, or explore our quit tips quiz.

You can also contact Quitline on 13 7848 for free support and counselling tailored to you.

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