Smoking cause increase in deaths

GENEVA: Smoking costs the global economy more than $1 trillion a year, and will kill one third more people by 2030 than it does now, according to a study by the World Health Organization and the U.S. National Cancer Institute published on Tuesday.

That cost far outweighs global revenues from tobacco taxes, which the WHO estimated at about $269 billion in 2013-2014.

"The number of tobacco-related deaths is projected to increase from about 6 million deaths annually to about 8 million annually by 2030, with more than 80 percent of these occurring in LMICs (low- and middle-income countries)," the study said.

Around 80 percent of smokers live in such countries, and although smoking prevalence was falling among the global population, the total number of smokers worldwide is rising, it said.

Health experts say tobacco use is the single biggest preventable cause of death globally.

"It is responsible for... likely over $1 trillion in health care costs and lost productivity each year," said the study, peer-reviewed by more than 70 scientific experts.

The economic costs are expected to continue to rise, and although governments have the tools to reduce tobacco use and associated deaths, most have fallen far short of using those tools effectively, said the 688-page report.

"Government fears that tobacco control will have an adverse economic impact are not justified by the evidence. The science is clear; the time for action is now."

HOW TO QUIT

Cheap and effective policies included hiking tobacco taxes and prices, comprehensive smoke-free policies, complete bans on tobacco company marketing, and prominent pictorial warning labels.

Tobacco taxes could also be used to fund more expensive interventions such as anti-tobacco mass media campaigns and support for cessation services and treatments, it said.

Governments spent less than $1 billion on tobacco control in 2013-2014, according to a WHO estimate.

Tobacco regulation meanwhile is reaching a crunch point because of a trade dispute brought by Cuba, Indonesia, Honduras and Dominican Republic against Australia's stringent "plain packaging" laws, which enforce standardized designs on tobacco products and ban distinctive logos and colorful branding.

The World Trade Organization is expected to rule on the complaint this year. Australia's policy is being closely watched by other countries that are considering similar policies, including Norway, Slovenia, Canada, Singapore, Belgium and South Africa, the study said.

Source: The News

Living close to major roads increases dementia risk: study

LONDON: People living near major roads have a higher chance of developing dementia, according to a large-scale study published in British medical journal The Lancet on Thursday.

The research looked at six million adults living in Ontario, Canada between 2001 and 2012, and found that those living less than 50 metres (yards) from a busy road had a seven percent higher incidence of dementia.

The risk was four percent above normal for those living 50-100 metres from main roads and two percent higher among those 100-200 metres away.

There was no discernable elevated risk among people living more than 200 metres from a major route.

The study, led by Hong Chen from Public Health Ontario, found that long-term exposure to two common pollutants -- nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulates -- were associated with dementia but did not account for the full effect.

This suggested that other factors -- such as noise or other pollutants -- may play a contributing role.

The research did not establish any link between proximity to heavy traffic and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson´s Disease or multiple sclerosis.

According to the World Health Organization, 47.5 million people worldwide have dementia -- a syndrome marked by deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities.

Some 7.7 million new cases of dementia are reported every year, with Alzheimer´s disease being the most common cause and contributing to 60-70% of cases.

Other causes of dementia include stroke and hypertension.

Pollution has long been suspected as playing a role in the development of Alzheimer´s disease but no clear link had been established until now.

"Our study suggests that busy roads could be a source of environmental stressors that could give rise to the onset of dementia," Hong said.

"Increasing population growth and urbanisation has placed many people close to heavy traffic, and with widespread exposure to traffic and growing rates of dementia, even a modest effect from near-road exposure could pose a large public health burden."

Source: The News

Moonis Elahi Booked For Supporting Opposition

Alleging Moonis Elahi of sending truck load of sticks and party flags, Islamabad police have registered an FIR against him. As oppositions parties form alliance to pressurize incumbent Govt in corruption case and to force premier to appear before the court for accountability, situation worsens in the capital. 

PMLN is all set to use brute force against protesters. Scores of police personnel have been shifted to the capital to restrict protesters from entering the capital. Instead of taking sensible measures to cope with the worsening situation, the Govt has resort to dictatorship tactics. Moonis Elahi being a parliamentarian sitting on opposition benches in Punjab has been targeted with prejudice.