Tobacco use is a global epidemic, and the problem is getting worse rapidly as the tobacco industry penetrates the developing world. Here are some sobering facts.
Tobacco-related deaths
- 20th Century – 100 million
- 21st Century estimate – 1 billion
- A person dies from tobacco every 6 seconds
More facts
- Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 250 that are known to be harmful to human health and more than 50 known carcinogens.
- There are 1.1 billion tobacco users in the world. This number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion over the next two decades.
- More than 25% of all deaths in the U.S. are attributable to tobacco.
- Tobacco industry revenue in 2010 was $664 billion. This was greater than the gross domestic products of all but 18 nations.
- Worldwide, more than 600,000 nonsmokers die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke. Nearly a third of these victims are children.
- The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FTCT), the world’s first public health treaty, is one of the most universal treaties in existence, with 176 Parties representing over 87% of global population. The United States has not ratified the FCTC.
- Addiction to tobacco impacts poverty and development. In poorer countries, up to 30% of income is spent on tobacco, reducing funds available for nutrition, education and health care.
- In the United States, each pack of cigarettes sold costs society an estimated $18.05.
