Smoking- a world problem

Who Smokes World-Wide

· 1.2 billion, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
· 47% of males world-wide smoke.
· 17% of females world-wide smoke.
· 4 million deaths per year; will increase to more than 8 million by 2020.
· 11,000 die per day currently, causing 12% deaths per year.
¨ 6 million children living today will die prematurely if they decide to start smoking during adolescence.
· Smoking steals greater than 5 million years from the potential life span of those who have died.
· Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.

Incidence of Smoking, According to Countries, Gender, Race and Age

· USA: 25.5% of males smoked in year 2001.
· USA: 21.5% of females smoked in year 2001.
· USA: 26% white adults and 25% black adults smoked.
· USA: 16% white youths and 7% black youths smoked.
· USA: 37.7% of male high school students smoked in 2001.
· USA: 34.7% of female high school students smoked in 2001.
· Bulgaria: 38.4% males and 16.7% females smoked (1998 report).
· China: 67% of people smoked (NEJM 2004 report*).
· India: 45% of people smoked*
· Indochina: 69% of people smoked*.
· Japan: 53% of people smoked*.
· Korea: 65% of people smoked*
· Mexico: 51% of people smoked*
· Russia: 63% of people smoked*
· Britain: 27% of adults smoked in 1997, 50% of whom will die prematurely.
· Vietnam: 73% of people smoked*.
· Yugoslavia: 52% of people smoked*

Why Do People Start Smoking?

·	Political, economic, social and personal influences determine who starts, continues and stops smoking.
·	Cigarette smoking often is associated with such psychosocial symbolism as rebellion, adulthood, low self esteem, deprived neighbourhoods, overweight and low achievement at school.
·	A myriad of other psychosocial factors associated with smoking include age, ethnicity, family structure, personal income, socio-economic status, life style, parental smoking and attitudes, sibling/peer smoking.
·	Teens with emotional and behavioural problems (depression, aggression) are more likely to start and continue smoking.
·	Smoking is a chronic relapsing disease condition. Nicotine is a very addictive chemical.
·	Regardless of the “cues”, smokers regulate their nicotine intake.
·	When psychosocial forces decrease, the addictive action of the nicotine takes over to sustain the addiction.
·	Puff-by-puff delivery of nicotine to the brain is linked to such factors as the sight of the cigarette pack, smell of the smoke, scratch of the throat.
·	Nicotine (smoking) does not calm; rather, nicotine intake (via smoking) suppresses the nicotine withdrawal symptoms.