WHO updates fact sheet on Tobacco (6 July 2015)

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently updated the fact sheet on tobacco.

Key Messages:

Tobacco is a leading cause of death, illness and impoverishment

Tobacco kills up to 50% of its users.
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced.
Each year, 6 million people die due to tobacco. More than 5 million of those deaths are due to direct tobacco use, while more than 600,000 deaths are on account of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
1 billion of the world’s people are smokers. 80% of them live in low and middle-income countries. The burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest in these countries.
Premature death due to tobacco deprives families of income, raises the cost of health care and hinders economic development.

Second-hand smoke Kills

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke
In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
In pregnant women, it causes low birth weight.
In infants, it causes sudden death. In 2004, children accounted for 28% of the deaths attributable to second-hand smoke.

Tobacco users need help to quit

Few people understand the specific health risks of tobacco use- A survey in China (2009) revealed that only 38% of smokers knew that smoking causes coronary heart disease; and only 275 knew that it causes stroke.
Most smokers aware of the dangers of tobacco want to quit.
Counselling and medication can more than double the chance that a smoker who tries to quit will succeed.
There is no cessation assistance of any kind in 25% of low-income countries.

Picture warnings work

Hard-hitting an-tobacco advertisements and graphic pack warnings- especially those that include pictures- reduce the number of children who begin smoking and increases the number of smokers who quit.
Pictorial warnings significantly increase people’s awareness of the harms of tobacco use.

Ad bans lower consumption

Bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship can reduce tobacco consumption.
A comprehensive ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship could decrease tobacco consumption by 7% (average)-16%.
Around 1/3rd of all countries have minimal or no restrictions at all on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Taxes discourage tobacco use

Increasing taxes on tobacco products is the most cost-effective way to reduce tobacco use, especially among young and poor people.
A 10% increase in tobacco prices decreases tobacco consumption by 4% in high-income countries, and 5% in low and middle-income countries.
However, high tobacco taxes is a measure that is rarely implemented- only 33 countries (10% of the world’s population) have introduced taxes so that more than 75% of the retail price is tax.
On average, revenues from tobacco taxes are 269 times higher than spending on tobacco control.

Illicit trade of tobacco products must be stopped

It is estimated that 10% of all tobacco products consumed globally are illicit.
Eliminating illicit trade in tobacco will reduce the harmful consumption of tobacco by restricting availability of cheap, unregulated alternatives and increasing overall tobacco prices.
Critically, this will reduce premature deaths from tobacco use and raise tax revenue for governments.

Useful Links:

Link to the updated fact sheet:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/

Link to the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2015 (released 7 July 2015):

Link to the Executive Summary of the above Report:

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