UN: Smoking kills every 6.5 seconds

One person dies from a tobacco-related disease every six and a half seconds, the head of the UN health agency warned today, ahead of its annual World No Tobacco Day.

“This is occurring mostly in developing countries, adding significantly to their burden of disease and poverty,” said Lee Jong-wook, director-general of the World Health Organisation. “The world cannot accept such easily preventable human and economic losses.”