Tobacco may kill 1 billion this century

AP on Yahoo ^ | 7/10/06 | Andrew Bridges - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - If current trends hold, tobacco will kill a billion people this century, 10 times the toll it took in the 20th century, public health officials said Monday.

Tobacco accounts for one in five cancer deaths, or 1.4 million deaths worldwide each year, according to two new reference guides that chart global tobacco use and cancer. Lung cancer remains the major cancer among the 10.9 million new cases of cancer diagnosed each year, according to the Cancer Atlas.

Reducing tobacco use would have the greatest affect on global cancer rates, health officials said. Improving nutrition and reducing infection by cancer-causing viruses and bacteria could also cut rates dramatically, they said.

"We know with cancer, if we take action now, we can save 2 million lives a year by 2020 and 6.5 million by 2040," said Dr. Judith Mackay, a World Health Organization senior policy adviser.

The new Cancer Atlas and updated Tobacco Atlas were released Monday at a International Union Against Cancer conference. The American Cancer Society published the two atlases with help from the Union, WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Even if smoking rates decline worldwide, there will be a constant or even slightly increasing number of smokers due to population increases," said Michael Eriksen, director of the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University.

An estimated 1.25 billion men and women smoke cigarettes now, according to the Tobacco Atlas.

[beltfed308]

Pingaroo! We're doomed!

[pabianice]

Big deal. Socialism has killed far more.

[saganite]

News flash! Everybody (well, most everybody) living right now will die this century!

[SZonian]

It's a personal choice morons!!

Then they'll be complaining that all those folks who would have died are eating too much and using too many resources.

SZ

[MeanWestTexan]

Love how they compile these stats.

If you're crossing the street and hit by a bus whilst smoking, it's a "tobacco-related death."

[jazusamo]

I'll bet aging will kill more than that.

[MikeA]

I wonder how many AIDs will kill.

[Brilliant]

The American Indians are to blame for this....

[Publius6961]

Pingaroo! We're doomed!

Not really.
The answer is obvious.
Outlaw tobacco and tobacco products.

Or develop a safe cigarette.

(Sounds of breaking glass as controlling twits worldwide self-destruct)

[Eagles Talon IV]

I'll accept the 1 billion dead from smoking because it will stop them from their incessant, mind numbing, hysterical whining about how they were duped by BIG TOBACCO.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

But aren't they only killing those who are too illiterate to read the warning from the Surgeon General?

[keithtoo]

Whatever dude.

Sunshine will probably kill more.

Junk science is junk.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Hmmm... can anyone come up with a death certificate that indicates tobacco as a cause of death?

All things in moderation: know your MDLs.

[Dead Corpse]

Every one who drinks water and was born in the 20th Century will die in this Century barring major medical advancements. We are talking at least 6 BILLION people here.

Ban Water.

[bfree]

Junk science producing garbage numbers. Tax money down the rat hole.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Crap!

That should be MLDs. Sheesh.

[Publius6961]

The American Indians are to blame for this....

I demand reparations!!

American Indians, the new deep pockets.

: )

[TexasCajun]

Thank all you smokers in advance for your tax dollars!

[calex59]

Why in the hell would tobacco kill more people this century, since most people don't smoke now, at least in the US. Why don't we just go ahead and outlaw tobacco if it is such a deadly killer?. I will answer my own question: because they wouldn't be able to tax the sh** out of it the way they do now in the name of public health. If it is really such a public health issue, and I am not denying that tobacco can cause some types of cancer, they simply outlaw it.

They (the left wing, and right wing, elitiest that propagate this nonsense)are not worried about health, they are worried about being able to rip one class of people for exorbitant taxes. The fact they don't try to totally ban tobacco by making it illegal to own and smoke tells the real tale.