Kathmandu, February 15:

More than 15,000 people die annually in Nepal because of tobacco use and poor people spend more than 11 per cent of their income on tobacco, a report of World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

“The WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008, unveiled today stated that tobacco epidemic is the leading cause of preventable death in the world,” a press release issued by the Resource Centre for Primary Health Care (RECPHEC) today said.

The report has stated that tobacco use kills 5.4 million people annually in the world and the epidemic is worsening every day. And more than 80 per cent of tobacco-caused deaths would occur in developing world in the coming decade if the present trend continues. “Unless urgent action is taken, one million people will die worldwide from tobacco use this century,” the report said.

Most nations are not doing nearly enough to address this health crisis and only about five per cent of the population is covered by any of the key interventions recommended by the WHO, it stated.

The WHO has identified six cost-effective solutions that have been proven to reduce tobacco use: monitor its use, access the impact of tobacco preventions and cessation efforts; protect from second-hand smoke; smoke free workplace and public places; offer help to the users to quit; warn and educate every persons; enact and enforce comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and on the use of misleading terms such as ‘light’ and low-tar and raise the price of tobacco taxes.

According to Santa Lal Mulmi, executive director of RECPHEC, tobacco epidemic is also an economic threat that costs local and national economies billion of dollars each year.

He said, “We have taken important steps in protecting the health of our citizens, but we know we must act now to do more.”