Do you know that Tobacco smoking kills more than 5 million people every year? The number is very surprising because it is more than HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined. And if the current trends continue, Tobacco use could kill more than 8 million people per year by 2030, and up to 1 billion people in total in the 21st century. These findings, and others are contained in the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2009.
Only 5.4% of the world’s population was covered by comprehensive smoke-free laws in 2008. That means more than 94% of people remain unprotected by comprehensive smoke-free laws shows that much more work needs to be done, WHO said.
The report also describes countries’ efforts to implement the tobacco control package called MPOWER, those are WHO Framework Convention and its guidelines includes-
- monitor tobacco use and the policies to prevent it;
- protect people from tobacco smoke;
- offer people help to quit tobacco use;
- warn about the dangers of tobacco;
- enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and
- raise taxes on tobacco.
Less than 10% of the world’s population is covered by any one of these measure, the report states.
Other key findings of the report include the following.
- Five more countries –– Djibouti, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia and Mauritius –– met the best practices for health warnings on cigarette packages.
- Three more countries –– Israel, Romania and the United Arab Emirates –– offered comprehensive help to quit.
- Only one country –– Panama –– joined the small group of countries that bans all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. More than 90% of people lack protection from tobacco industry marketing.
- Six more countries –– Czech Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, the Netherlands and Seychelles –– levied tobacco taxes higher than 75% of retail price.
- Of the world’s 100 most populous cities, 22 are smoke-free.
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