Publication: Tobacco Control
Date
2003-07
ISSN
Published
2003-07
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
The note looks at tobacco from the
health perspective, and at how to reduce its use, since
smoking is becoming the single biggest cause of death
worldwide, particularly affecting the developing countries,
where most of the world's smokers live. It thus looks
at the correlation between smoking and poverty, stating
smoking prevalence tends to be higher among men with less
education, and with lower incomes, hence bearing greater
health risks. Because of the highly addictive factor of
nicotine, smoking initiation should be discouraged,
persuading particularly the young, in an aim to reduce
disease, and death resulting from tobacco use. Towards this
effort, the World Health Organization, the Bank, and other
agencies are becoming partners to improve health, and to
this end, an International Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control is being negotiated, while further efforts are led
by nongovernmental organizations, and nationally
particularly as taxation is the most effective way to reduce
tobacco use. The note also outlines evidence that results
are best achieved within comprehensive measures to reduce
tobacco use; that job losses in tobacco farming, and
manufacturing, are to be offset by jobs in other sectors,
responsive to changed expenditure patterns; and, that while
most measures to reduce tobacco supply are ineffective,
smuggling control is however, the key supply-side measure to pursue. [Revised February 2011]
Citation
“World Bank. 2003. Tobacco Control. at a glance. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/042d49fd-37c4-53c9-b477-d260773dc38d License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”