According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use killed one hundred million people worldwide in the 20th century, and could kill one billion people in the 21st century unless governments and nations in partnership with their populations act now to dramatically reduce its use.

Governments around the world collect more than $200 billion in tobacco taxes every year, and spend less than one fifth of 1 percent of that revenue on tobacco control. With that sort of revenue, why would they want people to quit smoking?

"The tobacco epidemic already kills 5.4 million people a year from lung cancer, heart disease and other illnesses," WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said. "Unchecked, that number will increase to more than 8 million a year by 2030."

The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic urges governments to raise the taxes on and prices of tobacco, ban tobacco advertising, protect people from second hand smoke, warn people about the dangers of tobacco, help those who want to quit smoking, and monitor tobacco use.

Full Article: ABC news, February 7, 2008