World No Tobacco Day 2017: WHO calls for robust tobacco control measures

Tobacco use kills over 7 million people globally and affects productivity and healthcare expenditure

On the eve of 'World No Tobacco Day', the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on governments to implement strong tobacco control measures including raising excise taxes and banning marketing.

"Many governments are taking action against tobacco, from banning advertising and marketing, to introducing plain packaging for tobacco products, and smoke-free work and public places.

"But one of the least used, but most effective, tobacco control measures to help countries address development needs is through increasing tobacco tax and prices," Oleg Chestnov, assistant director-general for NCDs and mental health at WHO, said.

WHO's first-ever report, which was released recently, on tobacco's environmental effect highlights the impact of the product on nature.

While tobacco waste contains over 7,000 toxic chemicals, it is the largest type of litter by count globally, it said.

"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.

"Up to 10 billion of the 15 billion cigarettes sold daily are disposed in the environment. Cigarette butts account for 30-40 per cent of all items collected in coastal and urban clean-ups," the report noted.

The international organisation also said that while tobacco use kills over 7 million people globally, it also affects national development in terms of productivity and healthcare expenditure.

"Around 860 million adult smokers live in low and middle-income countries. Many studies have shown that in the poorest households, spending on tobacco products often represents more than 10 per cent of total household expenditure - meaning less money for food, education and healthcare," it said.

While 60-70 per cent of tobacco farm workers are women, 10-14 per cent of children from tobacco-growing families miss class because of working in tobacco fields.

"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," Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO's Department for the Prevention on NCDs, said.