Current Affairs

Issue

India witnessed the largest growth in number of active tobacco smokers in the age group of 15-24 since 1990.

 

Background

The Global Burden of Disease collaboration has published a study on global tobacco users ahead of the World No Tobacco Day to be celebrated on May 31.

 

Details

• The new data says that about 1.1 billion smoked tobacco across the world. It was responsible for causing 7.7 million deaths.

• About 89 percent of smokers get addicted to it by the age of 24. One in every five male deaths is attributed to smoking.

• About two-thirds of global tobacco smoking population stay in India, China, Indonesia, USA, Philippines, Russia, Japan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Turkey.

• Between the age group of 15-24, China had the largest number of smokers. It was followed by India and Indonesia.

• The largest number of male smokers between the 15-24 ages was observed in India followed by Egypt and Indonesia.

• The largest increase in female smokers between the ages of 15-24 was seen in Turkey followed by Jordan and Zambia.

 

Preventing tobacco addiction

• There is a need for two prolonged strategy. The first strategy should focus on making existing users to quit smoking and the second should prevent new adolescents from joining.

• Initiatives such as Project MYTRI that includes school health interventions has proved successful in reducing tobacco use.

 

Smoking related deaths

Various health conditions as a result of tobacco smoking include Cancers (tracheal, bronchus and lung), ischaemic heart disease, stroke and COPD.