Developing Countries and Tobacco Use

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization urged governments to expand tobacco control due to the spreading use of smoked and smokeless tobacco products by young people, especially girls.

While all tobacco products are addictive and deadly, many newer products are being marketed as natural and organic, giving the impression that they are not as dangerous as cigarettes. Tobacco products such as snuff are specifically being marketed to women in countries where it is not socially acceptable for them to smoke. And milder, flavored cigarettes are marketed towards young people.

Half of the 5 million deaths-by-tobacco occur in the developing world and this is expected to increase to 7 out of 10 by 2020. While we North Americans have educated ourselves into making a dent in the profits of Big Tobacco, these companies are now expanding their reach to those with less knowledge about tobacco’s dangerous side effects. Considering how we were misled for decades, I doubt that a 14 year old girl in South America understands that tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death around the world.

According to a study by WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in many countries, adolescent girls are using tobacco at the same rate as adolescent boys. This is an alarming trend considering that adult males have always outpaced women in their use. In my twisted imagination, I envision Hello Kitty ads in China with cigarettes being held in their paws.

Happy Travels!