8% of Global deaths from tobacco in 21st century will be in low and middle income countries

World Health Organization(WHO) estimates that tobacco killed 100 million persons in the 20th century.About half of these deaths will occur in middle age and 80% of global deaths from tobacco will be in the low and middle income countries.Currently, over six million die each year due to tobacco use, a million lives are lost annually due to smoking. Recent surveys reveal that 35% of Indians over 15 years of age consume tobacco. While the number of men with the tobacco habit has remained around 48-50% over the decade, the number of women consumers has doubled from 10% to 20%. In the age group of 13-15 years, 14.6% of children regularly consume tobacco.
In 2003 the world Health assembly adopted the worlds first public health treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO. The framework convection for Tobacco control(FCTC) has now been ratified by 176 countries.