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Tobacco

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Tobacco products are products made entirely or partly of leaf tobacco as raw material, which are intended to be smoked, sucked, chewed or snuffed. All contain the highly addictive psychoactive ingredient, nicotine.

Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite this, it is common throughout the world. A number of countries have legislation restricting tobacco advertising, and regulating who can buy and use tobacco products, and where people can smoke.

Tobacco key facts

GENERAL INFORMATION

World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2009

Q&A: Why is smoking an issue for non-smokers?

- More Q&As on tobacco

MULTIMEDIA

Fact files on tobacco

RELATED TOPICS

- Chronic diseases and health promotion
- Cancer: prevention and tobacco
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Oral health: tobacco risks and interventions
- Gender, health and tobacco [pdf 601kb]

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Youth and tobacco

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

- More information about tobacco

PUBLICATIONS

WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 - The MPOWER package

Policy recommendations on protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke

- More publications about tobacco

STATISTICS

Global data


WHO PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITIES

Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI)

World No Tobacco Day
TOBACCO IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
Region of the Americas
South-East Asia Region
European Region
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Western Pacific Region


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