Smoking is killing a higher rate of people in Chatham-Kent than in neighbouring communities, according to a recent report.
In the report released earlier this year, Public Health Ontario (PHO) found that in an average year, 19.4 per cent of all deaths of residents age 35 and older in Chatham-Kent are attributed to smoking.
In comparison, smoking is the result 19.1 per cent of deaths annually in Windsor-Essex, 18.7 per cent in Lambton County, and 16. 3 per cent in London-Middlesex.
Chatham-Kent also exceeds the provincial average, with 17 per cent of all deaths in Ontario attributed to smoking.
On average, 220 Chatham-Kent residents die each year as a result of smoking, the health agency said.
The leading health conditions attributed to smoking deaths are cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory.
According to PHO, smoking is also attributed to 9.4 per cent (766) of all hospitalizations and 4.4 per cent (1,723) of emergency room visits in CK.
