Researchers have discovered a unique method that can keep smokers away from cigarettes. Inhaling a pleasant odour could well be enough to decrease the urge to smoke, at least temporarily, and could be used as a part of a smoking cessation plan, according to the findings.

Sniffing pleasant aroma could reduce the urge of smoking

While the link between smoking and a range of cancers is well known, the World Health Organization warned&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;there was too little awareness of tobacco's impact on the human heart.

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day&nbsp;Thursday, the UN health agency hailed that smoking had declined significantly since&nbsp;the year&nbsp;2000, but warned that there were still far too many people indulging in the dangerous habit.

And it cautioned that research showed there was "a serious lack of knowledge" about the different health risks associated with tobacco.

Tobacco use has been linked to more than seven million deaths worldwide each year, including some 890,000 from breathing in second-hand smoke.

But many people are unaware that nearly half of those deaths, around three million, are due to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, WHO warned.

"Most people know that using tobacco causes cancer and lung disease, but many people aren't aware that tobacco also causes heart disease and stroke – the world’s leading killers," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

"Tobacco doesn't just cause cancer. It quite literally breaks hearts," he said.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including tar and others that can narrow arteries and damage blood vessels, and nicotine, which is associated with increases in heart rate and blood pressure.

At the same time, smoking unleashes poisonous gases like carbon monoxide, which replaces oxygen in the blood, thereby reducing the availability of oxygen for the heart muscle, WHO said.

The agency pointed out that tobacco use is responsible for around 17&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the nearly 18 million deaths from cardiovascular disease around the globe each year.

Yet in many countries, there is very low awareness that smoking significantly increases your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

In China&nbsp;for&nbsp;instance, a large WHO survey showed that more than 60&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the population is unaware that smoking can cause heart attacks, while in India and Indonesia, more than half of adults are unaware that smoking can cause&nbsp;a stroke.

"Governments have the power in their hands to protect their citizens from suffering needlessly from heart disease," said Douglas Bettcher, who heads WHO's non-communicable disease prevention unit.

According to a new WHO report on smoking trends and prevalence, the percentage of people worldwide who indulge in the habit has dropped from 27&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in 2000 to 20&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in 2016.

But it warned that the pace of reduction was too slow.

Due to population growth, the number of smokers in the world has remained relatively stable at around 1.1 billion, Bettcher told reporters.

UN health agency hailed that smoking had declined significantly since the year 2000

While the link between smoking and a range of cancers is well known, the World Health Organization warned Thursday there was too little awareness of tobacco's impact on the human heart. On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day Thursday, the UN health agency hailed that smoking had declined significantly since the year 2000, but warned that there were still far too many people indulging in the dangerous habit. And it cautioned that research showed there was "a serious lack of knowledge" about the different health risks associated with tobacco. Tobacco use has been linked to more than seven million deaths worldwide each year, including some 890,000 from breathing in second-hand smoke. But many people are unaware that nearly half of those deaths, around three million, are due to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, WHO warned. "Most people know that using tobacco causes cancer and lung disease, but many people aren't aware that tobacco also causes heart disease and stroke – the world’s leading killers," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. "Tobacco doesn't just cause cancer. It quite literally breaks hearts," he said. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including tar and others that can narrow arteries and damage blood vessels, and nicotine, which is associated with increases in heart rate and blood pressure. At the same time, smoking unleashes poisonous gases like carbon monoxide, which replaces oxygen in the blood, thereby reducing the availability of oxygen for the heart muscle, WHO said. The agency pointed out that tobacco use is responsible for around 17 per cent of the nearly 18 million deaths from cardiovascular disease around the globe each year. Yet in many countries, there is very low awareness that smoking significantly increases your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. In China for instance, a large WHO survey showed that more than 60 per cent of the population is unaware that smoking can cause heart attacks, while in India and Indonesia, more than half of adults are unaware that smoking can cause a stroke. "Governments have the power in their hands to protect their citizens from suffering needlessly from heart disease," said Douglas Bettcher, who heads WHO's non-communicable disease prevention unit. According to a new WHO report on smoking trends and prevalence, the percentage of people worldwide who indulge in the habit has dropped from 27 per cent in 2000 to 20 per cent in 2016. But it warned that the pace of reduction was too slow. Due to population growth, the number of smokers in the world has remained relatively stable at around 1.1 billion, Bettcher told reporters.

World No Tobacco Day 2018: Smoking causes millions of heart attacks, says WHO

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated each year on 31st May. The focus of World No Tobacco Day 2018 is "Tobacco and heart disease." It will focus on the impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people worldwide.

World No Tobacco Day 2018 coincides with a range of global initiatives and opportunities aimed at addressing the tobacco epidemic and its impact of public health, particularly in causing the death and suffering of millions of people globally, WHO says.&nbsp;

Despite the known harms of tobacco to heart health, and the availability of solutions to reduce related death and disease, knowledge among large sections of the public that tobacco is one of the leading causes of CVD is low.

Tobacco also has carbon monoxide, which blends with haemoglobin in the blood more easily than oxygen does, thus affecting the oxygen supply in the body.

The carbon monoxide prevents the blood system from effectively carrying oxygen around the body, specifically to vital organs such as the heart and brain, the experts said, adding that apart from regular smokers, those who inhale the smoke passively may also be at risk.

According to a recent study published in The Journal of Physiology, smoking could directly damage the muscles by reducing the number of blood vessels in leg muscles, which in turn reduce the amount of oxygen and nutrients the muscles receive.

This may impact the metabolism and activity levels.

Moreover, smoking also affects both male and female fertility, doctors said.

Every minute, smokers get through nearly 11 million cigarettes and 10 die from the habit, in an industry that generates billions of dollars.

There are around one billion smokers in the world, about a seventh of the global population, according to World Health Organization (WHO) and other estimates.

China has the highest number: From its population of 1.3 billion, about 315 million are smokers and they consume more than a third of the world’s cigarettes, the WHO said in a report last year. Indonesia has the highest proportion of smokers at 76% of men aged over 15 years.

About 80% of the world’s smokers live in low- and middle-income countries and 226 million of them are considered poor.

The global tobacco epidemic kills more than 7 million people each year, of which close to 900 000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Nearly 80% of the more than 1 billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.

Quitting is the best way, the experts said while discouraging the use of alternatives like e-cigarettes. Other measures like clinical interventions, counselling and behavioural therapies can help people quit tobacco abuse.

World No Tobacco Day 2018 aims to highlight the links between the use of tobacco products and heart and other cardiovascular diseases, increase awareness within the broader public of the impact tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke have on cardiovascular health.

It aims to provide opportunities for the public, governments and others to make commitments to promote heart health by protecting people from use of tobacco products.&nbsp;

World No Tobacco Day 2018 will focus on the impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people worldwide

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated each year on 31st May. The focus of World No Tobacco Day 2018 is "Tobacco and heart disease." It will focus on the impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people worldwide. World No Tobacco Day 2018 coincides with a range of global initiatives and opportunities aimed at addressing the tobacco epidemic and its impact of public health, particularly in causing the death and suffering of millions of people globally, WHO says. Despite the known harms of tobacco to heart health, and the availability of solutions to reduce related death and disease, knowledge among large sections of the public that tobacco is one of the leading causes of CVD is low. Tobacco also has carbon monoxide, which blends with haemoglobin in the blood more easily than oxygen does, thus affecting the oxygen supply in the body. The carbon monoxide prevents the blood system from effectively carrying oxygen around the body, specifically to vital organs such as the heart and brain, the experts said, adding that apart from regular smokers, those who inhale the smoke passively may also be at risk. According to a recent study published in The Journal of Physiology, smoking could directly damage the muscles by reducing the number of blood vessels in leg muscles, which in turn reduce the amount of oxygen and nutrients the muscles receive. This may impact the metabolism and activity levels. Moreover, smoking also affects both male and female fertility, doctors said. Every minute, smokers get through nearly 11 million cigarettes and 10 die from the habit, in an industry that generates billions of dollars. There are around one billion smokers in the world, about a seventh of the global population, according to World Health Organization (WHO) and other estimates. China has the highest number: From its population of 1.3 billion, about 315 million are smokers and they consume more than a third of the world’s cigarettes, the WHO said in a report last year. Indonesia has the highest proportion of smokers at 76% of men aged over 15 years. About 80% of the world’s smokers live in low- and middle-income countries and 226 million of them are considered poor. The global tobacco epidemic kills more than 7 million people each year, of which close to 900 000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Nearly 80% of the more than 1 billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest. Quitting is the best way, the experts said while discouraging the use of alternatives like e-cigarettes. Other measures like clinical interventions, counselling and behavioural therapies can help people quit tobacco abuse. World No Tobacco Day 2018 aims to highlight the links between the use of tobacco products and heart and other cardiovascular diseases, increase awareness within the broader public of the impact tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke have on cardiovascular health. It aims to provide opportunities for the public, governments and others to make commitments to promote heart health by protecting people from use of tobacco products.

World No Tobacco Day 2018 to be celebrated tomorrow, focus on 'Tobacco and heart disease'

Thailand banned smoking and littering at 24 beachside locations that are popular with tourists over environmental concerns on Thursday, the ministry of natural resources and environment said.

The Southeast Asian country has been a tourist magnet for decades, from its backpacker heyday in the early 1990s to its current popularity with tourists from mainland China. It expects to welcome a record 37.55 million tourists in 2018.

Environmental rights groups have urged successive governments to protect Thailand`s palm-fringed beaches, which are frequently voted among the world`s most beautiful, from unregulated development and littering, among other things.

A law that came into force on Thursday is aimed at tackling this problem, said Bannaruk Sermthong, a director at the Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Management.&nbsp;

&quot;Starting today, smoking and cigarette-butt littering are prohibited on beach areas,&quot; Bannaruk told Reuters.&nbsp;

&quot;Anyone who wants to smoke must do so in designated smoking areas, not on the beaches.&quot;

The law protects 24 beaches in 15 provinces located along the Andaman coast and the Gulf of Thailand.

Anyone who violates the law will be taken to a criminal court and could face up to one year in jail, or a fine of up to 100,000 baht ($3,190), or both.

Thailand has 357 beaches nationwide.&nbsp;

Thailand banned smoking and littering at 24 beachside locations that are popular with tourists over environmental concerns on Thursday, the ministry of natural resources and environment said. The Southeast Asian country has been a tourist magnet for decades, from its backpacker heyday in the early 1990s to its current popularity with tourists from mainland China. It expects to welcome a record 37.55 million tourists in 2018. Environmental rights groups have urged successive governments to protect Thailand`s palm-fringed beaches, which are frequently voted among the world`s most beautiful, from unregulated development and littering, among other things. A law that came into force on Thursday is aimed at tackling this problem, said Bannaruk Sermthong, a director at the Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Management. "Starting today, smoking and cigarette-butt littering are prohibited on beach areas," Bannaruk told Reuters. "Anyone who wants to smoke must do so in designated smoking areas, not on the beaches." The law protects 24 beaches in 15 provinces located along the Andaman coast and the Gulf of Thailand. Anyone who violates the law will be taken to a criminal court and could face up to one year in jail, or a fine of up to 100,000 baht ($3,190), or both. Thailand has 357 beaches nationwide.

Thailand bans smoking, littering at popular tourist beachside spots

Norway&#39;s oldest man, George&nbsp;Melford Nygaard reveals the secret to his long life.&nbsp;

Speaking to a local news website, George said,&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s not true that you have to live healthy to grow old. I have eaten and drank what I wanted throughout my life. I was a big smoker until I reached my forties, but I still have to have a glass of wine every day. It thins out the blood. But I make sure not to drink too much.&quot;

George gave up smoking in 1953 but still drinks a glass of wine every day.&nbsp;

He added that positivity in life goes a long way and said, &quot;I&#39;ve always had a good mood. One must almost have to live, especially in my age. Once upon a time I had a neighbor who was always mad and angry, so I do not want it. If so, you&#39;re angry with life too.&rdquo;

&quot;I have not thought so much about it. I know that someone who was older than me died a few days ago, I have been told. But I do not want to think so much about this record. That&#39;s no good thought,&quot; Nygaard added.

George was born in 1910 in North Dakota after his father emigrated from Norway in 1894.

He experienced both world wars. Speaking about the First World War, George recalled some of his earliest memories, &quot;I remember some episodes from that war as well. Among other things, I remember that my dad gave away one of our horses to the army, the American army.&rdquo;

He witnessed the Second World War firsthand, as was stationed in Hawaii during his service in the US Navy.

Following the death of Torbjorn Ovrebo last week, Nygaard officially became Norway&#39;s oldest man at the age of 107. He will celebrate his 108th birthday on January 12.

Marie Antoinette Andersen is currently Norway&#39;s oldest person, having turned 108 on September 29.

&nbsp;

Following the death of Torbjorn Ovrebo last week, George Melford Nygaar officially became Norway's oldest man at the age of 107

Norway's oldest man, George Melford Nygaard reveals the secret to his long life. Speaking to a local news website, George said, "It's not true that you have to live healthy to grow old. I have eaten and drank what I wanted throughout my life. I was a big smoker until I reached my forties, but I still have to have a glass of wine every day. It thins out the blood. But I make sure not to drink too much." George gave up smoking in 1953 but still drinks a glass of wine every day. He added that positivity in life goes a long way and said, "I've always had a good mood. One must almost have to live, especially in my age. Once upon a time I had a neighbor who was always mad and angry, so I do not want it. If so, you're angry with life too.” "I have not thought so much about it. I know that someone who was older than me died a few days ago, I have been told. But I do not want to think so much about this record. That's no good thought," Nygaard added. George was born in 1910 in North Dakota after his father emigrated from Norway in 1894. He experienced both world wars. Speaking about the First World War, George recalled some of his earliest memories, "I remember some episodes from that war as well. Among other things, I remember that my dad gave away one of our horses to the army, the American army.” He witnessed the Second World War firsthand, as was stationed in Hawaii during his service in the US Navy. Following the death of Torbjorn Ovrebo last week, Nygaard officially became Norway's oldest man at the age of 107. He will celebrate his 108th birthday on January 12. Marie Antoinette Andersen is currently Norway's oldest person, having turned 108 on September 29.

Norway's oldest man, 107, drinks a glass of wine every day

Former president Barak Obama&#39;s daughter&nbsp;Malia Obama has become the target of numerous tabloids and internet trolls&nbsp;after a video of her smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings surfaced on the internet.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;video of Malia, who is the first-year student at Harvard University, kissing her boyfriend&nbsp;also surfaced online last Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Several people criticised her &quot;inappropriate&quot; behaviour. However, others have come to her defence.&nbsp;

The president&#39;s daughter Ivanka tweeted on Friday: &quot;Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school-aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.
&mdash; Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/934108754731307009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Soon after, Chelsea Clinton tweeted: &ldquo;Malia Obama&rsquo;s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.&rdquo;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Malia Obama&rsquo;s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.
&mdash; Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaClinton/status/934118380835082242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

Malia, who is a?first-year student at Harvard University, has been attacked by many people as a video of her smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings surfaced around the internet.?

Former president Barak Obama's daughter Malia Obama has become the target of numerous tabloids and internet trolls after a video of her smoking cigarettes and blowing smoke rings surfaced on the internet. A video of Malia, who is the first-year student at Harvard University, kissing her boyfriend also surfaced online last Saturday. Several people criticised her "inappropriate" behaviour. However, others have come to her defence. The president's daughter Ivanka tweeted on Friday: "Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school-aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits." Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits. — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 24, 2017 × Soon after, Chelsea Clinton tweeted: “Malia Obama’s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.” Malia Obama’s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better. — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 24, 2017 ×

Ivanka Trump, Chelsea Clinton defend Malia Obama over smoking video

According to a new study published in the journal Tobacco Control, teenagers who had vaped when they were of the age 13 or 14 were about four times more likely to have tried a tobacco cigarette a year later than those who had not. This comes at a time when last&nbsp;year, a major report by the Royal College of Physicians had concluded that&nbsp;e-cigarettes are much less harmful to health and smokers should be encouraged to use them.&nbsp;

According to the report, it is suggested that use of e-cigarettes portrays a better image of the user which could ultimately encourage people who had never smoked to try them. This could translate to becoming a&nbsp;nicotine habit that encourages users to smoke cigarettes in the coming years.&nbsp;

The report has also found that 9 per cent of 13 and 14-year-olds who had not tried e-cigarettes reported trying a tobacco cigarette a year later.&nbsp;However, among those who had tried an e-cigarette, the figure for tobacco use a year later rose to 34.4 per cent.

Th researchers wrote: &ldquo;We showed that ever&nbsp;use of e-cigarettes is associated with initiation of cigarette use; an effect that remains when controlling for various predictors of smoking. Our study in UK adolescents found patterns similar to those reported in longitudinal studies among adolescents aged 13 to 14 years and older in the USA.

&ldquo;A significant minority of adolescents try cigarettes first (19.9 per cent here) and later initiate cigarette use.

&ldquo;Our findings also indicated that the association between ever use of e-cigarettes&nbsp;and initiation of cigarette use was particularly strong among adolescents with no friends who smoked, a group usually considered to be less susceptible to smoking initiation.&rdquo;

However, they added: &ldquo;While acknowledging that a causal relationship may be plausible, we cannot confirm this, based on our findings and the trends observed over the same period in the UK.

&ldquo;Given the lack of clarity regarding the mechanism linking ecigarette and cigarette use, we need to be cautious in making policy recommendations based on our findings.&rdquo;

Some health experts believe that while this might be true, it also must be taken into consideration that those kids who try vaping are the ones who would in most likelihood, also try smoking and not necessarily in any order. They say that&nbsp;if e-cigarettes were acting as a &lsquo;gateway&rsquo; to tobacco for teenagers then smoking rates would be rising among that age group, but they are actually at an all-time low.&nbsp;

(WION)

However, other experts say if e-cigarettes were acting as a ?gateway? to tobacco for teenagers then smoking rates would be rising among that age group, but they are actually at an all-time low

According to a new study published in the journal Tobacco Control, teenagers who had vaped when they were of the age 13 or 14 were about four times more likely to have tried a tobacco cigarette a year later than those who had not. This comes at a time when last year, a major report by the Royal College of Physicians had concluded that e-cigarettes are much less harmful to health and smokers should be encouraged to use them. According to the report, it is suggested that use of e-cigarettes portrays a better image of the user which could ultimately encourage people who had never smoked to try them. This could translate to becoming a nicotine habit that encourages users to smoke cigarettes in the coming years. The report has also found that 9 per cent of 13 and 14-year-olds who had not tried e-cigarettes reported trying a tobacco cigarette a year later. However, among those who had tried an e-cigarette, the figure for tobacco use a year later rose to 34.4 per cent. Th researchers wrote: “We showed that ever use of e-cigarettes is associated with initiation of cigarette use; an effect that remains when controlling for various predictors of smoking. Our study in UK adolescents found patterns similar to those reported in longitudinal studies among adolescents aged 13 to 14 years and older in the USA. “A significant minority of adolescents try cigarettes first (19.9 per cent here) and later initiate cigarette use. “Our findings also indicated that the association between ever use of e-cigarettes and initiation of cigarette use was particularly strong among adolescents with no friends who smoked, a group usually considered to be less susceptible to smoking initiation.” However, they added: “While acknowledging that a causal relationship may be plausible, we cannot confirm this, based on our findings and the trends observed over the same period in the UK. “Given the lack of clarity regarding the mechanism linking ecigarette and cigarette use, we need to be cautious in making policy recommendations based on our findings.” Some health experts believe that while this might be true, it also must be taken into consideration that those kids who try vaping are the ones who would in most likelihood, also try smoking and not necessarily in any order. They say that if e-cigarettes were acting as a ‘gateway’ to tobacco for teenagers then smoking rates would be rising among that age group, but they are actually at an all-time low. (WION)

Teenagers who vape are four times more likely to try smoking, finds study

Around 6.4 million deaths worldwide in 2015 was attributed to smoking&nbsp;and nearly half of those were from China, India, the United States and Russia, according to medical journal Lancet.

Although the journal lauded India for adopting a&nbsp;large number of tobacco control policies over the last ten years, a little over 11 per cent of the world&#39;s smokers are from India.

While the percentage of Indian men smoking has reduced slightly since 1990, data for Indian women remains largely unchanged during the same time span.

Globally, one in four men and one in 20 women smoked daily in 2015, according to the Global Burden of Diseases report, compiled by hundreds of scientists.

That was a significant drop compared to 25 years earlier, when one in three men, and one in 12 women, lit up every day.

But the number of deaths attributed to tobacco -- which topped 6.4 million in 2015 -- went up by 4.7 percent over the same period due to the expanding world population, the report found.

More than 930 million people smoked daily in 2015, compared to 870 million in 1990 -- a seven percent jump. &nbsp;

Mortality could rise even further as major tobacco companies aggressively target new markets, especially in the developing world, they warned in a report, published in the medical journal The Lancet.&nbsp;

&quot;Smoking remains the second largest risk factor for early death and disability&quot; after high blood pressure, said senior author Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, in the US northwest.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

A little over 11 per cent of the world's smokers are Indian

Around 6.4 million deaths worldwide in 2015 was attributed to smoking and nearly half of those were from China, India, the United States and Russia, according to medical journal Lancet. Although the journal lauded India for adopting a large number of tobacco control policies over the last ten years, a little over 11 per cent of the world's smokers are from India. While the percentage of Indian men smoking has reduced slightly since 1990, data for Indian women remains largely unchanged during the same time span. Globally, one in four men and one in 20 women smoked daily in 2015, according to the Global Burden of Diseases report, compiled by hundreds of scientists. That was a significant drop compared to 25 years earlier, when one in three men, and one in 12 women, lit up every day. But the number of deaths attributed to tobacco -- which topped 6.4 million in 2015 -- went up by 4.7 percent over the same period due to the expanding world population, the report found. More than 930 million people smoked daily in 2015, compared to 870 million in 1990 -- a seven percent jump. Mortality could rise even further as major tobacco companies aggressively target new markets, especially in the developing world, they warned in a report, published in the medical journal The Lancet. "Smoking remains the second largest risk factor for early death and disability" after high blood pressure, said senior author Emmanuela Gakidou from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, in the US northwest. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Half of smoking deaths in 2015 in India, China, Russia, US

India&#39;s $11 billion tobacco industry has urged the government to take a softer line on tobacco control efforts when it hosts a WHO conference in New Delhi next month, but officials say the government will not bow to &quot;pressure tactics&quot;.

Delegates from about 180 countries will attend the November&nbsp;7-12 World Health Organization (WHO) conference on the sole global anti-tobacco treaty: the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In force since 2005, the treaty aims to deter tobacco use that kills around 6 million people a year.

The industry in India, the world&#39;s third-biggest tobacco producer, wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government to soften its stance on what it says are tough FCTC measures that threaten livelihoods among the estimated 46 million people linked to the sector.

In documents obtained by a Reuters reporter under India&#39;s Right to Information law, industry and farmer groups wrote to officials across government asking to attend the WHO FCTC conference and be part of India&#39;s delegation, in an effort to protect their interests.

Global tobacco firms have criticised the biennial event for not being transparent, in part because proceedings have in the past not been open to the public, including industry representatives.

The tussle comes at a time when the Indian industry is smarting from measures imposed this year forcing companies to print bigger health warnings on tobacco products.

A tobacco farmers&#39; group this month questioned the legality of India implementing the FCTC treaty, and asked the Delhi High Court to compel the government to allow farmers to attend the WHO FCTC conference. A judge last week asked the government to &quot;consider&quot; the plea, but did not rule on the other requests.

&quot;If we take them in the delegation, the government of India may feel embarrassed,&quot; said one health ministry official, who didn&#39;t want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. &quot;We will not act on these (lobbying documents)&quot;.

Around 1,000 tobacco farmers staged silent protests on Thursday outside the federal health ministry and the WHO regional office, both in New Delhi, appealing to the government to boycott the conference.

The WHO FCTC Convention Secretariat in Geneva told Reuters it welcomes India&#39;s decision, saying its guidelines state that no country should have delegation members linked to the tobacco industry.

Conference decisions on treaty provisions - designed for eventual implementation at national level by signatories - have a direct bearing on the global tobacco industry that Euromonitor International estimates is worth $784 billion this year.

Topics for debate at the WHO FCTC conference include alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers, e-cigarettes and trade and investment issues.

Letters, signature campaign

The nation&#39;s main cigarette industry body, the Tobacco Institute of India (TII), and farmer groups wrote to the agriculture ministry demanding to have their views represented and to be allowed into the WHO FCTC conference.

In a September&nbsp;28 letter, the TII said &quot;there is no obligation on any signatory to the FCTC to comply with or implement any provision of the FCTC&quot;. The WHO, however, says the treaty is legally binding on its member countries.

The ministry also received a near-6,000-page petition signed by more than 100,000 farmers seeking protection from FCTC rules.

The TII &mdash;&nbsp;which represents cigarette makers including ITC and Godfrey Phillips &mdash;&nbsp;also sent the health ministry a &#39;handbook&#39; detailing how FCTC proposals are a threat to farmers&#39; livelihoods.

It asked the government to ensure that &quot;unreasonable and impractical&quot; proposals are not adopted at the WHO FCTC conference.

The TII did not respond to Reuters queries on the make-up of the Indian delegation or the legality of the FCTC.

In another letter, a group representing traditional Indian cigarette makers urged Modi to ensure the health ministry does not make any anti-tobacco commitments before or after the conference, fearing the potential impact on those tied to the industry.

The health ministry official said the government would consider farmers&#39; views, but there was &quot;no soft corner for the industry&quot;.

Smoking kills more than 1 million people a year in India, BMJ Global Health estimates. The WHO says tobacco-related diseases cost the country $16 billion annually.

(Reuters)

The industry has urged the government to take a softer line on tobacco control, but the administration is unlikely to play game

India's $11 billion tobacco industry has urged the government to take a softer line on tobacco control efforts when it hosts a WHO conference in New Delhi next month, but officials say the government will not bow to "pressure tactics". Delegates from about 180 countries will attend the November 7-12 World Health Organization (WHO) conference on the sole global anti-tobacco treaty: the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In force since 2005, the treaty aims to deter tobacco use that kills around 6 million people a year. The industry in India, the world's third-biggest tobacco producer, wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to soften its stance on what it says are tough FCTC measures that threaten livelihoods among the estimated 46 million people linked to the sector. In documents obtained by a Reuters reporter under India's Right to Information law, industry and farmer groups wrote to officials across government asking to attend the WHO FCTC conference and be part of India's delegation, in an effort to protect their interests. Global tobacco firms have criticised the biennial event for not being transparent, in part because proceedings have in the past not been open to the public, including industry representatives. The tussle comes at a time when the Indian industry is smarting from measures imposed this year forcing companies to print bigger health warnings on tobacco products. A tobacco farmers' group this month questioned the legality of India implementing the FCTC treaty, and asked the Delhi High Court to compel the government to allow farmers to attend the WHO FCTC conference. A judge last week asked the government to "consider" the plea, but did not rule on the other requests. "If we take them in the delegation, the government of India may feel embarrassed," said one health ministry official, who didn't want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. "We will not act on these (lobbying documents)". Around 1,000 tobacco farmers staged silent protests on Thursday outside the federal health ministry and the WHO regional office, both in New Delhi, appealing to the government to boycott the conference. The WHO FCTC Convention Secretariat in Geneva told Reuters it welcomes India's decision, saying its guidelines state that no country should have delegation members linked to the tobacco industry. Conference decisions on treaty provisions - designed for eventual implementation at national level by signatories - have a direct bearing on the global tobacco industry that Euromonitor International estimates is worth $784 billion this year. Topics for debate at the WHO FCTC conference include alternative livelihoods for tobacco farmers, e-cigarettes and trade and investment issues. Letters, signature campaign The nation's main cigarette industry body, the Tobacco Institute of India (TII), and farmer groups wrote to the agriculture ministry demanding to have their views represented and to be allowed into the WHO FCTC conference. In a September 28 letter, the TII said "there is no obligation on any signatory to the FCTC to comply with or implement any provision of the FCTC". The WHO, however, says the treaty is legally binding on its member countries. The ministry also received a near-6,000-page petition signed by more than 100,000 farmers seeking protection from FCTC rules. The TII — which represents cigarette makers including ITC and Godfrey Phillips — also sent the health ministry a 'handbook' detailing how FCTC proposals are a threat to farmers' livelihoods. It asked the government to ensure that "unreasonable and impractical" proposals are not adopted at the WHO FCTC conference. The TII did not respond to Reuters queries on the make-up of the Indian delegation or the legality of the FCTC. In another letter, a group representing traditional Indian cigarette makers urged Modi to ensure the health ministry does not make any anti-tobacco commitments before or after the conference, fearing the potential impact on those tied to the industry. The health ministry official said the government would consider farmers' views, but there was "no soft corner for the industry". Smoking kills more than 1 million people a year in India, BMJ Global Health estimates. The WHO says tobacco-related diseases cost the country $16 billion annually. (Reuters)

India's tobacco industry, government face off ahead of WHO conference

smoking

Smoking, News on Smoking, stories on Smoking, articles on Smoking, Smoking stories at Wion, Smoking news, Smoking latest news