Tobacco is a major barrier to development globally – WHO

Those in the habit of smoking and using tobacco products may have a decision to make, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that smoking and use of tobacco kills more than seven million people each year.

Apart from its negative impact on human, WHO also warned of the dire impact of tobacco production, distribution and waste on the environment.

In a report released to mark the 2017 World No Tobacco Day yesterday (May 31st) with the theme, “Beating tobacco for health, prosperity, the environment and national development “, the UN agency urged countries of the world to intensify action to stamp out tobacco use, stressing that such action can help countries prevent millions of people falling ill and dying from tobacco-related disease, combat poverty and also reduce large-scale environmental degradation.

Lamenting the economic cost, WHO noted that tobacco use costs households and governments over US$ 1.4 trillion through healthcare expenditure and loss of productivity every year.

WHO is therefore, calling on governments to implement strong tobacco control measures such as banning, marketing and advertising of tobacco.

Others are promoting plain packaging of tobacco products, raising excise taxes, and making indoor public places and workplaces smoke-free.

The report also revealed that tobacco use breeds poverty as around 860 million adult smokers live in low and middle-income countries.

According to Director General of WHO, Dr. Chief Margaret Chan, “Tobacco threatens us all exacerbates poverty, reduces economic productivity, contributes to poor household food choices, and pollutes indoor air,” she said.

Her words: “But by taking robust tobacco control measures, governments can safeguard their countries’ future by protecting tobacco users and non-users from these deadly products, generating revenues to fund health and other social services, and saving their environments from the ravages tobacco causes.”

She stated that all countries have committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to strengthen universal peace and eradicate poverty.

Also, Director of WHO’s Department for the Prevention on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Dr. Douglas Bettcher, in his remarks, said: “Tobacco is a major barrier to development globally.”

He went on: “Tobacco-related death and illness are drivers of poverty, leaving households without breadwinners, diverting limited household resources to purchase tobacco products rather than food and school materials, and forcing many people to pay for medical expenses.”

“But action to control it will provide countries with a powerful tool to protect their citizens and futures.”

On its impact on the environment, a report revealed that tobacco waste contains over 7000 toxic chemicals that poison the environment, including human carcinogens.

It pointed out that tobacco smoke emissions contribute thousands of tons of human carcinogens, toxicants, and greenhouse gases to the environment. And tobacco waste is the largest type of litter by count globally.

According to the report, up to 10 billion of the 15 billion cigarettes sold daily are disposed in the environment while cigarette butts account for 30–40% of all items collected in coastal and urban clean-ups.

Many studies have shown that in the poorest households, spending on tobacco products often represents more than 10% of total household expenditure – meaning less money for food, education and healthcare.