The World No Tobacco Day

MOSCOW, May 31 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia should cut percent of smokers to
20 percent of the population, President of Russia's Cardiologists Society
Rafael Oganov said on the World No Tobacco Day.
Now, about 47 million smoke in Russia, 60 percent of men and 20
percent of women.
"I believe it realistic to make smoking level in Russia be like that
one in civilised countries - to 20 percent, but this would require time,"
he said.
There are three ways to take. The first one is educational, to explain
about the hazards of smoking. The second one is legal effort, where it is
necessary to ban commercials, to limit smoking in public places, to raise
prices. The third one is aid for those who want to quit.
"Use of tobacco is the biggest hazard for health in the world," he
said.
Every year it kills five million - one person dies every six seconds.
This figure does not include over 600,000 who die of passive smoking,
where a quarter is children. By 2030 death rate of smoking may reach eight
million. Tobacco smoking, which killed 100 million in the XX century, may
kill a billion in the XXI.
Besides, smoking is a habit of the poor. Over 80 percent of one
billion of smokers live in countries with low and medium incomes. Smokers,
by early deaths, deprive their families of income, raise cost of medical
aid and prevent economic development, experts say.