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ONE PERSON DIES BECAUSE OF TOBACCO EVERY 6 SECONDS ON THE PLANET. IN THE 20TH CENTURY, TOBACCO KILLED 100 MILLION PEOPLE, FAR MORE THAN THE TWO WORLD WARS COMBINED. FOR THE PERIOD 2010-2025, TOBACCO IS ESTIMATED TO BE THE LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR PREMATURE DEATH IN MEN AND THE SECOND LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR PREMATURE DEATH IN WOMEN (AFTER HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE). NEARLY 80% OF THE WORLD'S BILLION SMOKERS LIVE IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES, WHERE TOBACCO-RELATED MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ARE HIGHEST.A VICIOUS CYCLE HAS DEVELOPED AS SMOKING INCREASES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, BUT TOBACCO USERS WILL INCREASE HEALTH CARE COSTS AND DIE PREMATURELY, DEPRIVING THEIR FAMILIES OF INCOME AND THUS HINDERING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THEY LIVE. IN ADDITION, ONLY 24 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD OFFER COMPREHENSIVE SMOKING CESSATION SERVICES. THIS REPRESENTS ONLY 15% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION. AND IN A QUARTER OF LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES, NO CESSATION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE.
About the author
Abdoul Hamid Derra - Information systems engineer, entrepreneur, researcher, developer of strategic studies, educational advisor, mother-child health, nutritionist.
