About half of all smokers who are killed by tobacco die in middle age. On average, these smokers who die in middle age lose about 20-25 years of life expectancy. Cigarettes consumption in developing countries has been rising among men over the last three four decades. In some developing countries, the health effects of this increase in tobacco use are already evident. For example, in China, smoking is estimated to be the cause of at least half a million deaths a year, mostly men.
Most smokers live in developing countries.
Smoking is already causing about one-sixth of all deaths in developed countries. This proportion is still rising mainly due to the increasing smoking habitat among women. If the proportion stays at or about one-sixth. This means that about 200 million out of the 1.2 billion people living in developed countries will eventually be killed by tobacco. People substantially underestimate the risks of smoking.