Smoking could kill 1 billion in 21st century, WHO warns

[Al-khiyal]

Smoking could kill 1 billion in 21st century, WHO warns

February 7, 2008 -- Tobacco could kill 1 billion people in the 21st century unless governments act now to dramatically reduce smoking, the World Health Organisation said today.

The UN agency said no country in the world was doing all it could to curb tobacco use, which it estimates will kill 500 million people who are alive today.

It called on all nations to adopt a six-pronged strategy to dissuade people - especially women and young people - from smoking and to help them quit.

Raising taxes to as high as 75% or more of the pack price would be the single most effective strategy, the WHO said. Higher taxes would also provide funds to counter tobacco industry marketing tactics.

"While efforts to combat tobacco are gaining momentum, virtually every country needs to do more," said Margaret Chan, the WHO director general.

"These six strategies are within the reach of every country, rich or poor and, when combined as a package, they offer us the best chance of reversing this growing epidemic."

The six key measures it said governments should take are: monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies; protecting people through smoking bans; offering help to quit; warning about the dangers of tobacco; enforcing bans on promotion, marketing and sponsorship; and raising taxes. It named the strategy by the acronym MPOWER.

Only 5% of the world's population live in countries that fully implement any one of the six measures, the WHO said.

While the UK scores well compared with most countries, it does not have large warning pictures on cigarette packs, tax is less than 60% of the pack price, and promotion at point of sale is allowed. More than a quarter of adults - 26% - smoke every day.

The WHO said the tobacco industry was increasingly targeting the developing world where millions of people are becoming addicted every year.

"As many as 100 million Chinese men currently under age 30 will die from tobacco use. In India, about a quarter of deaths among middle-aged men are caused by smoking," its report said.

It termed the rise in smoking among young women one of the most ominous developments.

"Because most women currently do not use tobacco, the tobacco industry aggressively markets to them," it said. "Advertising, sponsorship, including charitable donations to women's causes, weaken cultural opposition to women using tobacco. Product design and marketing, including the use of attractive models in advertising and brands marketed specifically to women, are explicitly crafted to encourage women to smoke."

Smoking impacts most heavily on the poor, who spend proportionately more of their household income on tobacco and are more likely to become ill and to die as a result.

Raising taxes on cigarettes is essential, the WHO said, because it has been shown to persuade young people and low wage earners to quit. Four countries have tax rates greater than 75% of retail price and cigarettes are not heavily taxed in impoverished developing countries.

Tax revenues give governments money they can spend on fighting the smoking epidemic. The report said the lack of funding for such campaigns was "indefensible".

Nearly 90% of the money spent on tobacco control - an estimated $343m (£174m) in 89 countries - is spent by seven wealthy nations. Less than 1% is spent by low-income countries, even though ill-health caused by tobacco damages their economies.

[Al-khiyal]

QuitNet

[Bent_Bladi]

quit, or we'll all be laughing at how u helped improve our economy by population reduction

[FORTUNATO]

what a joke? , do that mean that if no one smoke we could have 1 billion more people a live? no-way, it probably mean that these who smoke will live shorter life, few weeks? or few months less than if they did not smoke? some may even live longer....yes am septic

How many will die in car accident? how many will die from alcohol? how many will die on the birth? of course if you calculate for one century any mumber will be very very high.....

[Bent_Bladi]

if no one smoked definitely there'd be a large number of people still here with us.

I can't count how many families I know that lost the fathers at a young age just cuz the man was a hard core smoker

[Bent_Bladi]

Smoke?

You know you're putting yourself first in line to get Tuberculosis?

What's that?

It's this:



Not nasty enough?

How bout lung cancer?

Okay, so you're suicidal, you don't care if all that happens to you...

...But would you care if it happened to your mom?

... your spouse?

... your siblings?

... your children??




Second hand smoke is just as bad as first hand. We're not harming you, so please don't harm us.

[gn4dz]

Thanks BB, plz keep posting