Experts that are meeting for a conference for cancer organizations from across the globe have announced that smoking and other forms of tobacco use are the drivers behind the increased burden around the world of cancer. Participants at the conference have urged all governments to put the health of its citizens in front of the gains financially that can be reaped from the tobacco business.
The report from members of the conference said cancer diagnoses are increasing annually around the globe, but actions could be taken by each country that would help in lowering the number of diagnoses of cancer and the number of people who lose their lives from cancer.
Action that can be taken includes raising taxes that are charged on tobacco and tobacco related products, requiring health workers to set an example by not using any tobacco products, helping to deglamourize all tobacco products and help to protect countries that are poor from the increased marketing efforts taken by companies in the tobacco industry.
Nearly 12.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year around the world. Today cancer accounts for approximately 15% of deaths annually in the world. In 2012, the World Health Organization announced that a surge in cancer diagnoses of 75% would take place by 2030. That increase will be highest in the countries that are poorer, as they begin to adopt western lifestyles that are generally unhealthier.
For years, it has been known that smoking is a cause of lung cancer, one of the world’s deadliest types of cancer. However, smoking also increases the probability of developing different forms of cancer as well including breast, colon, pancreas, bladder, kidney, head and neck cancer.
