Smoking in the Developing World

Smoking is responsible for almost six million deaths each year, becoming a worse health epidemic than HIV and malaria combined. Since people in developing countries have begun earning more money, cigarettes are becoming more affordable. Tobacco loves to advertise more in low-income cities and towns than wealthier cities or towns.

In an effort to combat this problem, some of the developing countries’ governments are planning to start taxing tobacco products. The idea is that if cigarettes are more expensive, people would not want to purchase them. This helps many countries reduce smoking raters by lowering tobacco use.

Other ways governments are trying to adapt to the problem are by trying to: monitor tobacco use, implement prevention policies, protect people from secondhand smoke, warn people about the dangers of tobacco, and enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Some health organizations are also actively trying to limit tobacco use around the world. These include the Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Foundation, World Lung Foundation, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

With a global push back against this addicting, harmful practice, we can continue working towards a healthier world.