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Facts About the Globalization of Tobacco

 

Did You Know:

 

• If current events continue, tobacco will be the world’s #1 cause of premature death by 2030.  More people are expected to die from tobacco-related illness over the next 30 years than AIDS, tuberculosis, automobile accidents, maternal mortality, homicide and suicide combined.

 

• 500 million people alive today in the world—250 million of them children—will eventually be killed by tobacco-related disease.

 

• One in seven young people aged 13-15 around the world smoke cigarettes, with nearly a quarter of them having tried their first cigarette by the age of 10.

 

• About 80,000 – 100,000 children and adolescents become addicted to tobacco each day around the world.

 

• If adult consumption of tobacco is cut in half by the year 2020, nearly 200 million lives would be saved over the next 50 years.

 

Where is the Tobacco Pandemic Going to Strike?

 

 

This diagram from the World Health Organization shows that Sub-Saharan Africa, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Latin America and North Africa are all poised to experience devastating health consequences from tobacco.  It tracks the deadly toll of tobacco in virtually any country over a 100-year period and demonstrates that many countries experiences four stages of the epidemic.  In stages one and two (which last for 50 years), smoking rates and deaths increase dramatically, first in men and later in women.  In stages three and four (where the U. S. is now), the rates drop off.

 

 

 

What Can We Do About It?

 

• Support a Framework Convention on Tobacco Control that offers the best hope for rolling back the tide of tobacco.  (visit www.fctc.org for more information.)

 

• All nations must have determined advocates willing to fight for needed policy changes that work, such as:

 

• Raising tobacco excise taxes; this discourages consumption
• Educating people about the health dangers of smoking
• Developing a dedicated cadre of tobacco control advocates who will work tirelessly for appropriate policies and programs.

 

·         The American Cancer Society has joined with the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and other partners to launch a major new effort to train and support new tobacco control leaders in developing countries.