UNITED NATIONS: The World Health Organisation (WHO) called on world governments to impose heavy taxes on tobacco products in order to reduce consumption of products that kill one person every 6 seconds.

In a new report on the global tobacco epidemic 201 launched on Wednesday the world health agency noted “too few governments levy appropriate levels of tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products”.

“They therefore miss out on a proven, low-cost measure to curb demand for tobacco, save lives and generate funds for stronger health services.”

Approximately one person dies from a tobacco-related disease every 6 seconds, equivalent to around 6 million people a year.

The focus of this year’s report, raising tobacco taxes, is one of six so-called “MPOWER” tobacco control strategies that has experienced least progress, according to a WHO the press release on the report.

According to WHO, tobacco-related illness is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play