Tobacco killing 4.9 million people prematurely each year according to World Health Organization

Minister Martin says over 660,000 EU citizens dying annually
because of tobacco use

Tobacco is killing 4.9 million people prematurely each year throughout the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  The WHO’s Assistant Director-General, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr Catherine Le Galès-Camus said today (Thursday, 17 June 2004) that the premature death toll due to tobacco would double to 9.8 million annually over the next 20 years, if current trends continue.  Dr Le Galès-Camus was speaking at the “Change is in the Air” conference, which is being held in the Radisson SAS Hotel, Limerick over the next two days. 

Speaking at the same conference, the Minister for Health and Children, Micheál Martin TD, said that over 660,000 European Union citizens are dying annually because of tobacco use, with 26% of all cancer deaths and 15% of all deaths in the Union being attributable to smoking.  Minister Martin said that the battle against tobacco remains one of the most important public health challenges facing us.

The “Change is in the Air” conference is being hosted by the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children to coincide with Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union (EU).  It is being addressed by leading international and national speakers who are examining the issue of the future direction of tobacco control policy in the EU.

“Smoking prevention and tobacco control are therefore priority objectives in the public health policies of Member States and the European Union. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the European Union – tobacco consumption shortens lives, harms others and is a huge cost to the taxpayer in terms of health services

“The tobacco industry still retains an aggressive approach in the promotion and marketing of its products.  As tobacco control measures become stronger and more comprehensive throughout the developed world, the industry is moving rapidly to exploit new markets in developing nations and the Third World.  A recent report from the World Health Organization states that, of the 1.3 billion smokers worldwide, 84% live in developing countries.  Many of these countries do not have sufficiently strong public health resources to resist the intensive marketing efforts of the tobacco industry in inducing young persons to take up smoking,” Minister Martin concluded.

Dr Catherine Le Galès-Camus said that over the last decades, researchers have accumulated an impressive amount of scientific evidence on the dramatic health consequences of tobacco use. 

“Despite the tremendous efforts of the tobacco industry to discredit these findings, the causality of tobacco use on more than 20 categories of diseases has been proven.  In terms of the number of deaths worldwide, annually 4.9 million people die prematurely from tobacco use, placing it at as the second biggest cause of death in the world and the number one cause of preventable deaths.  Unless urgent and sustained action is taken, the current death toll will double over the next 20 years.

“The disability and death caused by tobacco consumption is greater amongst poor population groups both in developed and developing countries.  For the time being, these deaths are equally shared between developing and developed countries.  However, in 20 years it is expected that the share of total death due to tobacco in developing countries will reach 70%.”

Dr Le Galès-Camus said that despite all of the evidence of the health and economic harm caused by tobacco use, the tobacco epidemic continues to grow.

“Tobacco is very addictive and it is hard to quit, especially with modern cigarettes which have been designed to be even more addictive.  In addition, the tobacco industry has to maintain business and will use all possible strategies to replace consumers or recruit new ones.  As a consequence, for example, in middle and low-income countries, 84,000 young people become addicted to tobacco every day.”

EU Commissioner David Byrne said that the important message that needs to go out is that tobacco control works.

“Nearly two decades ago, smoking rates for men were often around 50%. Although results vary from country to country, many Member States have reduced their prevalence of male smokers, and some by as much as 15-20%.  This translates into thousands of lives saved.

“Whilst we have won many individual battles we have yet to win the war against smoking.  In parts of Europe, the average age for starting smoking is 11 years. In many countries, smoking rates for women are actually increasing.  Despite our many achievements it is clear that we simply cannot afford to rest on our laurels.  We must keep up the momentum.”

In this context, Commissioner Byrne said that greater efforts are needed to denormalise tobacco and smoking, in particular to help prevent a new generation of children taking up smoking and aims to help current smokers to quit.  The Commissioner also said that tobacco is one of the least regulated products in the world – which he considered to be incredible given the harm it causes. 

“Very limited measures are in place and these are easy for industry to undermine.  Take the case of ingredients.  How often do we see new reports of ingredients added to cigarettes to make them more appealing to children?   The tobacco industry must be forced to comply with full disclosure for the contents of its products.  After all, we expect nothing less from the food we buy.”