Tobacco use kills 5.4 million a year: WHO
Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world and
it kills up to 50% of its regular users, the World Health
Organization (WHO) said.
Tobacco use kills 5.4 million people a year - an average of one person every six seconds - and accounts for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide. 100 million deaths were caused by tobacco in the 20th century. If current trends continue, there will be up to one billion deaths in the 21st century, according to the data released by the WHO representation in Azerbaijan.
Tobacco is unique among today's leading public health problems in that the means to curb the epidemic are clear and within our reach. It is a risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of deaths in the world. Globally, most people start smoking before the age of 18, with almost a quarter of those beginning before the age of 10. The younger children are when they first try smoking, the more likely they are to become regular tobacco users and the less likely they are to quit, the report said.
One of the most effective ways to protect young people from the harms of tobacco use is to ban advertising or promotion of tobacco products, and the sponsorship by the tobacco industry of any events or activities.
"The tobacco epidemic is entirely man-made, and it can be turned around through the concerted efforts of governments and civil society," the WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said.
World No Tobacco Day has been celebrated around the world on May 31 since 1987.
WHO is the United Nations specialized agency for health. Its objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
Tobacco use kills 5.4 million people a year - an average of one person every six seconds - and accounts for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide. 100 million deaths were caused by tobacco in the 20th century. If current trends continue, there will be up to one billion deaths in the 21st century, according to the data released by the WHO representation in Azerbaijan.
Tobacco is unique among today's leading public health problems in that the means to curb the epidemic are clear and within our reach. It is a risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of deaths in the world. Globally, most people start smoking before the age of 18, with almost a quarter of those beginning before the age of 10. The younger children are when they first try smoking, the more likely they are to become regular tobacco users and the less likely they are to quit, the report said.
One of the most effective ways to protect young people from the harms of tobacco use is to ban advertising or promotion of tobacco products, and the sponsorship by the tobacco industry of any events or activities.
"The tobacco epidemic is entirely man-made, and it can be turned around through the concerted efforts of governments and civil society," the WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said.
World No Tobacco Day has been celebrated around the world on May 31 since 1987.
WHO is the United Nations specialized agency for health. Its objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
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