Using a World Health Organization/International Agency for Research on Cancer classification of causes of death, we found that 34.5% of deaths among whites were attributable to smoking-related causes in 1984. The comparable figures for Asians, coloureds and blacks were 24.5%, 14.5% and 3.9% respectively. Age- and sex-specific death rates in 1984 for 35- to 64-year-olds among coloureds were greater than those among whites. Taking into account the expected ageing of the black population and the increased use of tobacco by blacks, smoking-related deaths are expected to increase by between 140 and 1,200% by the year 2000. Smoking-related diseases by 2000 will make a severe impact on the delivery of health services.