According to the World Health Organization, seven million people – almost the entire population of Hong Kong – die every year because of smoking and other ailments related to cigarette use.
The WHO’s annual report says the industry is costly to health, the economy and the environment.
The report called Big Tobacco says discarded cigarette ends and waste contain more than seven thousand toxic chemicals that poison the environment.
Cigarette butts account for up to 40 percent of all litter collected in coastal and urban clean-ups.
The report also said that between 10 to 14 percent of children in tobacco-growing families miss class because they’re working in tobacco fields.
Tobacco also contributes to one in six deaths from non-communicable diseases.
So what’s needed to control the industry?
Presenter: Hazem Sika
Guests:
Vinayak Mohan Prasad, Head of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative
Hazel Cheeseman, Director of Policy at Action on Smoking & Health
– Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe
– Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
– Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
– Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/