The use of tobacco in any form is a major preventable cause of premature death and disease. Globally, nearly 5 million persons die every year from tobacco-related illnesses, with disproportionately higher mortality occurring in developing countries. Nearly one in five 13- to 15-year-old students worldwide use tobacco products. The following findings come in anticipation of the World Health Organization's (WHO) World No Tobacco Day, which is celebrated/observed every year on May 31. The theme for this year is "Tobacco: Deadly in Any Form or Disguise," emphasising that it's not just cigarette smoking that is harmful. Researchers from WHO, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Canadian Public Health Association, conducted The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) wherein questionnaires with students aged 13-15 years from more than 130 countries about tobacco, including personal use, second-hand exposure and advertising. The countries were divided into six geographic regions: Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific. It was found that 17 percent of all respondents reported that they currently used some type of tobacco product. The overall rates of cigarette smoking and other tobacco use were 9 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Europe and the America had the highest rates of cigarette smoking at approximately 18 percent, while South-East Asia had the lowest rate at 4 percent. However, South-East Asia had the highest rate of other tobacco use at 13 percent, while the Western Pacific had the lowest at 6 percent. In all regions, the use of other tobacco products was generally more common among boys than among girls. However, the prevalence of all tobacco use between the sexes was similar, which is a cause for concern, and it has been suggested that effective tobacco-control programmes must be developed and implemented with special focus on girls. These programmes should include evidence-based interventions for adolescents to decrease the burden of tobacco-related disease.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report,
May 2006