'Tobacco Epidemic' Could Kill 1 Billion in 21st Century
The World Health Organization says governments must act now to curb deaths.
Feb. 7, 2008— -- NEW YORK (AP) - Tobacco use killed 100 million people worldwidein the 20th century and could kill one billion people in the 21stunless governments act now to dramatically reduce it, the WorldHealth Organization said in a report Thursday.
Governments around the world collect more than $200 billion intobacco taxes every year but spend less than one fifth of 1 percentof that revenue on tobacco control, it said.
"We hold in our hands the solution to the global tobaccoepidemic that threatens the lives of one billion men, women andchildren during this century," WHO Director-General Dr. MargaretChan said in an introduction to the report.
The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 calls on allcountries to dramatically increase efforts to prevent young peoplefrom beginning to smoke, help smokers quit, and protect nonsmokersfrom exposure to second hand smoke.
It urges governments to adopt six "tobacco control policies" -raise taxes and prices of tobacco; ban tobacco advertising,promotion and sponsorship; protect people from second hand smoke;warn people about the dangers of tobacco; help those who want toquit smoking; and monitor tobacco use to understand and reverse theepidemic.
"The tobacco epidemic already kills 5.4 million people a yearfrom lung cancer, heart disease and other illnesses," Chan said."Unchecked, that number will increase to more than 8 million ayear by 2030."
Chan was launching the report with New York Mayor MichaelBloomberg, whose foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, helped fundit.
According to the report, nearly two thirds of the world'ssmokers live in 10 countries - China, which accounts for nearly 30percent, India for about 10 percent, Indonesia, Russia, the UnitedStates, Japan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Germany and Turkey.
It forecast that more than 80 percent of tobacco-related deathswill be in low- and middle-income countries by 2030.
Tobacco use is growing fastest in low-income countries, thereport said, "due to steady population growth coupled with tobaccoindustry targeting, ensuring that millions of people become fatallyaddicted each year."
While standard cigarettes are most common, WHO said other typesof smoked tobacco are also "lethal," including small hand-rolledcigarettes called bidis which are smoked in India and otherSoutheast Asian nations, clove and tobacco cigarettes calledKreteks smoked in Indonesia, and tobacco cured with flavoringsknown as shisha smoked from water pipes.
It warned that "the shift of the tobacco epidemic to thedeveloping world will lead to unprecedented levels of disease andearly death in countries where population growth and the potentialfor increased tobacco use are highest and where health careservices are least available."
"In the 20th century, the tobacco epidemic killed 100 millionpeople worldwide," the report said. "Unless urgent action istaken, more than one billion people could be killed by tobaccoduring this century."
WHO called the rise in tobacco use by younger women "one of themost ominous potential developments of the epidemic's growth."
Only 86 of 193 countries surveyed have recent data on tobaccouse for both adults and youths. Seventy-four countries still allowsmoking in health care institutions and about the same number allowsmoking in schools. And more than half the countries, withtwo-thirds of the world's population, allow smoking in governmentoffices and workplaces, the report said.
Only two countries - Uruguay and New Zealand - had bothcomprehensive smoke-free laws and high enforcement, it said.
For the tobacco industry to survive, and keep existing customershooked and attract new customers, "it spends tens of billions ofdollars a year on advertising, promotion and sponsorship," WHOsaid.
One of the most effective ways to curb tobacco use is to ban allforms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, but itsaid only 20 of 179 countries that responded have complete bans.
While many tobacco users want to quit, they are unable tobecause of their addiction to nicotine, and "the vast majority ofcountries" provide no help, the report said. Only nine countries,accounting for 5 percent of the world's population, offer a fullrange of treatment and at least partial financial subsidies to helppeople trying to quit, it said.
"Weak health warnings on tobacco packs - or no warnings at all- continue to be the global norm," the report added, noting thatonly 15 of 176 countries surveyed required picture warnings whichare most effective.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)