Cigarettes now leading cause of death in developing world

The Sydney Morning Herald ^ | June 20 2003 | staff writer

[yankeedame]

Cigarettes now leading cause of death in developing world

June 20 2003

Cigarettes and tobacco have become a leading cause of illness and death in developing countries, outpacing AIDS and placing a heavy burden on health systems.

More than 2.5 million people die in developing countries each year from illnesses related to tobacco consumption, roughly the same level as in developed countries, said Joy de Beyer, a World Bank economist.

This level of deaths is likely to rise to 7 million people a year within two decades, while tobacco-related deaths and illnesses will likely remain steady or decline in more developed societies, she said.

Among many other health-related causes of death in poorer countries "only in AIDS and tobacco are death rates rising", she told reporters in San Francisco at the launch of a new study on combating smoking in developing countries.

The expert, who specialises in smoking-related illnesses, said that while tobacco consumption in developed countries had fallen sharply due to government regulation and health education, the problem continued to grow in many developing countries, exacerbating poverty problems.

"Disease and illness are one of the highest factors in impoverishing people," she said.

However, she noted that anti-smoking education campaigns in countries such as Brazil, Thailand, Poland and South Africa had significantly reduced tobacco consumption.

Through higher taxation, public education programs and cigarette marketing restrictions, she said, each achieved "dramatic" reductions in cigarette smoking despite strong resistance from cigarette manufacturers and distributors.

AFP

[yankeedame]

Well, good gracious, of course it's our fault!

[Only1choice____Freedom]

I guess despots, dictators, and civil wars don't enter into the statistics.

Let's add that to the list and see.

Hhhmmm, communism and tyranny are the leading cause death.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Through higher taxation, public education programs and cigarette marketing restrictions, she said, each achieved "dramatic" reductions in cigarette smoking despite strong resistance from cigarette manufacturers and distributors.

I thought taxes didn't work that way.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Through higher taxation, public education programs and cigarette marketing restrictions, she said, each achieved "dramatic" reductions in cigarette smoking despite strong resistance from cigarette manufacturers and distributors.

I thought taxes didn't work that way.

[Normal4me]

Beats starving to death I guess.

[js1138]

Brazil, Thailand, Poland and South Africa

Every time I hear the phrase "Developing world" I have to ask myself, "does this mean the third world, the second world, the world that isn't developing and never will because it's socialist, or the world that isn't developing and never will because of religious tyrants?"

[CSM]

"while tobacco consumption in developed countries had fallen sharply due to government regulation and health education, the problem continued to grow in many developing countries,"

So consumption is declining, but the problem (not consumption) is growing.......Doesn't make any sense to me. I wonder how the deaths can continue to rise while the use is declining. Sounds like clear evidence that the tobacco risks don't exist!

[sfvgt]

uh huh........another problem solved through higher taxation......I feel better already

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Blame it on the American Indians. They invented smoking, didn't they ?

[Bill Davis FR]

TOBACCO CORPORATIONS KILL DEVELOPING WORLD CITIZENS...

[Publius6961]

Cigarettes now leading cause of death in developing world

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

And here all this time I thought it was the *GASP* automobile.

[smiley]

Well, maybe someone should tell these people to smoke FROM THE FILTERED END......

[commandante_zero]

And the fatality rate remains 100%! That's right! Everybody--Everybody who's born is gonna die! This is awful! What are we gonna do???!!?

[1Old Pro]

However, she noted that anti-smoking education campaigns in countries such as Brazil, Thailand, Poland and South Africa had significantly reduced tobacco consumption.

HUH? They have millions for anti-smoking programs but can't get running water???

[oncebitten]

"Disease and illness are one of the highest factors in impoverishing people," she said. BULLSH*T! You forgot despotic regimes, lack of property rights, subjugation of women, religious intolerance, low IQs, shall I go on.

[PianoMan]

I'm sure they use those wonderful statistics that were used in the tobacco settlement, wherein a smoker who is killed in a car crash is counted as a smoking-related death, in fact any death of any person anywhere near a cigarette gets dragged in.

The World Bank is a joke.

[eggman]

Cigarettes the leading cause of death?

My guess is they count anyone who ever smoked as having been a smoking related fatality regardless of whether they died from a heart attack, cancer of any kind, a car accident, or a fire. Or maybe it was a smoking gun that killed him. Then they count it as both smoking and the nasty gun that caused the death.

[henderson field]

At what ages are these deaths occurring?

[henderson field]

I would add that communism, SOCIALISM and tyranny are the leading causes of death. Let's not forget the child deaths from the government-mandated airbags. It's for the children.

[dirtboy]

It's amazing the difference a single character can make in the meaning of a headline. The headline:

Cigarettes now leading cause of death in developing world

And the opening of the story:

Cigarettes and tobacco have become a leading cause of illness and death

More crap from our beloved journalists.