The fight against tobacco in Africa

摘要

Daily consumption of tobacco products over a long period constitutes the first cause of premature death. One out of two regular smokers dies of a tobacco related illness and one in four dies between the ages of 35 and 69. Tobacco consumption is responsible for 30% of cancer deaths, 25% of deaths due to cardiovascular disease, 75% of deaths caused by chronic respiratory disease and it worsens chronic disorders, in particular, tuberculosis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2005, tobacco consumption killed nearly 5 million people around the globe, half of them in developing countries, and the estimate for 2025-2030 raises this number to 10 million of which 7 million will be from developing countries. WHO estimates that during the 20th Century about 100 million people have died of tobacco use, and tobacco could kill one billion people during the 21st Century. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) indicates that passive smoking increases lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases by 30%.