12 per cent of deaths in Chinese males tobacco-related: WHO
A World Health Organisation official said 12 per cent of deaths in Chinese males were tobacco-related and the number may rise significantly, Guangming Daily reported.
About 50.4 per cent of Chinese men smoke and 340 million Chinese are at risk of tobacco-related mortality, said Bernhard Schwartlaender, WHO representative in China, at a news conference.
Schwartlaender said at another news conference that China is the world’s largest tobacco consumer, accounting for 38 per cent global tobacco consumption.
That amount is even more than the four next-largest tobacco consumers combined, he said.
Schwartlaender also said China produces 41 per cent of the world’s cigarettes and 43 per cent of tobacco-related products, surpassing the total output of the next nine biggest tobacco producers.
Source: China Daily
Published: 13 Dec 2013
Category: Features, Health alert
