The global tobacco epidemic  
 

THE GLOBAL TOBACCO CRISIS  2008

2008:  Tobacco kills one person every six seconds. It kills a third to half of all its users, more than half its long-term users. 5.4 million deaths a year - and rising worldwide. It may kill a billion people this century - and wreck the health of many more. Check the scale and nature of the global crisis.  See  WHO report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008      See  full report and other WHO tobacco publications  

The World Health Organisation has launched the first comprehensive analysis of global tobacco use and control. The report confirms that the global tobacco epidemic is one of the greatest public health threats of modern times - though it is entirely preventable. The means to curb the epidemic are clear and within reach.

While the report deals with all states, there are detailed profiles of the following Asian countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Philippines, Rep Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.    

Key points of the report:

Status of tobacco use and control

  • Only 5% of population covered by comprehensive smoke-free laws

  • About 95% of tobacco users don’t get help to quit

  • Only five countries have comprehensive pack warnings

  • Just 4% of population protected by complete bans on tobacco advertising, marketing and promotion

  • Only four countries have tax rates greater than 75% of retail price

  • Tobacco control funding much less than HIV/AIDS, kills far more

Key messages

  • Virtually every country needs to do more

  • Epidemic is shifting toward the developing world

  • Countries are not alone in combating the tobacco industry

  • Call to action by Director-General to governments and civil society

  • The tobacco epidemic is entirely preventable

  • The solution is in our hands

Political considerations

  • Tobacco epidemic: A disease with a multi-billion-dollar lobby

  • Weakened legislation won’t save lives

  • Tobacco hurts – not helps – national economies

  • Smoking in public places is not a right… breathing is !

 

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)
A World Health Organisation initiative to curtail the global tobacco epidemic. The convention, ratified by over 150 countries,  represents an historic opportunity for global action. Australia ratified the treaty in October 2004 and it took effect worldwide from 27/2/05. 

12th World Tobacco Conference     
Priorities and resolutions of the August 2003 World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Helsinki, Finland.

World Cancer Report
2002 global review of research, by the WHO's International Agency for Cancer Research. The report by an international expert panel found new types of cancer dangers and concluded that passive smoking causes cancer in non-smokers. 

Framework Convention Alliance
ASH is a member of this alliance of non-governmental organisations from around the world who worked jointly and separately to support the development of a strong Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and will continue to push for effective related protocols.

Curbing the Epidemic: Governments and the Economics of Tobacco Control
The result of a partnership between WHO and the World Bank, this report covers key issues that most societies and policymakers face when they think about tobacco or its control.

Women and smoking
Women are targets for tobacco companies and tobacco use has a devastating impact on the lives of women world-wide. The international network of women against tobacco is a program of the American Cancer Society.


The Death Toll from Tobacco
There are between 1.1 -1.4 billion smokers in the world out of a total population of around 5.8 billion. It has been estimated that 50% of smokers will die prematurely from tobacco related illness, half in middle age (defined as 35 - 69 years of age) with an average loss of life expectancy of 20 - 25 years (8 years over all ages). More details


Page last updated on 24/7/08