Tobacco poses one of the most critical challenges to public health in our time. If current trends continue, millions of the world's children will die prematurely from diseases caused by tobacco. This preventable tragedy must be avoided.
Tobacco is both a health and an economic problem.
Some sectors of society, manufacturers, retailers and advertising agencies certainly benefit from tobacco sales. But against these other economic losses, from premature deaths of breadwinners, from medical treatment, from lost industrial productivity and absenteeism caused by tobacco related diseases. And from fires caused by carelessly discarded smoking materials. There are also some costs that cannot be quantified. The reduced quality of life for smokers and their families.