World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) falls on May 31st. Its ultimate goal is to contribute to protecting present and future generations not only from the devastating health consequences due to tobacco, but also from the social, environmental and economic scourges of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Tobacco smoking kills nearly 6 million people each year. More than 80% of these preventable deaths are among people living in low-and middle-income countries.
How easy it is to forget that an average smoker dies 10-15 years earlier than a non-smoker, and in the end the patients that we work with, if their dependence includes tobacco, are more likely to die from tobacco related illness than from other substances. The long term professional relationships that we form with our patients mean that we are well positioned to provide them with the most up to date information and interventions to reduce their health risks from tobacco use; vital when you consider the prevalence of nicotine addiction.
Research shows that higher taxes are especially effective in reducing tobacco use. A tax increase that increases tobacco prices by 10% decreases tobacco consumption by about 4% in high-income countries and by up to 8% in most low- and middle-income countries. That’s why countries across the world are encouraged to raise taxes this WNTD.
Get all the facts at http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/en/