World health organization

10 facts on tobacco and second-hand smoke

Two men sitting near a cigarette box, Morocco
WHO/Marta Seoane

Fact 1

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. It causes 1 in 10 deaths among adults worldwide. In 2005, tobacco caused 5.4 million deaths, or an average of one death every 6 seconds. The death toll is projected to reach more than 8 million by 2030 if current trends continue.

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