WHO Tweeted That Tobacco Kills 600 Million Trees Every Year

According to the World Health Organisation, the nicotine contained in tobacco is highly addictive and tobacco use is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, over 20 different types or subtypes of cancer, and many other debilitating health conditions. Every year, more than 8 million people die from tobacco use. Most tobacco-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, which are often targets of intensive tobacco industry interference and marketing.

Nonsmokers can also die from tobacco use. Secondhand smoke too, has been linked to negative health outcomes, with an estimated 8 million deaths each year. Nearly half of all children inhale tobacco smoke-polluted air, and 65 000 children die each year from illnesses caused by secondhand smoking. Smoking during pregnancy can cause a variety of long-term health problems for the baby.

The World Health Organisation Tweeted That Tobacco Kills 600 Million Trees Every Year

• 600 Million trees are chopped down to make 6 trillion cigarettes every year, decreasing the clean air we breathe.
• Around 3.5 million hectares of land are razed for tobacco production.
• Tobacco cultivation contributes to deforestation, particularly in underdeveloped countries.
• Tobacco plantation deforestation causes soil deterioration and “failed yields,” or the land’s ability to support the growth of any other crops or plants.
• With an annual greenhouse gas contribution of 84 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent, the tobacco industry contributes to climate change and reduces climate resilience, wasting resources and damaging ecosystems.

The fourth WHO global tobacco trends report shows that there are 1.30 billion tobacco users globally compared to 1.32 billion in 2015. This number is expected to drop to 1.27 billion by 2025. Sixty countries are now on track to achieving the voluntary global target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use between 2010 and 2025: two years ago only 32 countries were on track. Millions of lives have been saved by effective and comprehensive tobacco control policies under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and MPOWER – a great achievement in the fight against the tobacco epidemic. Reducing tobacco consumption needs to be identified as a key lever for achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals, not just those directly related to health.

Over To You:
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people every year and is highly addictive. Not only it is a major risk factor for cancer, heart, and lung diseases but causes serious environmental damage too. Quit tobacco for increasing your life and the planet’s life.