A THIRD OF AZERIS SMOKE, WHO SAYS

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
August 7, 2006 Monday

Azerbaijan was rated 85th among world countries for the number
of smokers, with 32% of adults using tobacco, the World Health
Organization (WHO) said. Mongolia topped the list, with 67.8% of the
population, followed by China (66.9%), Kenya (66.8%), Cambodia (66%),
and Namibia (65%), according to the WHO report based on statistical
data for 2002-2003. Among former Soviet republics, Armenia ranked
sixth, followed by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, with 60% of smokers,
while Belarus was rated 23rd, with 54.9%. The indicator was 51.1%
in Ukraine and Lithuania, while 49% in Latvia and Uzbekistan. Estonia
and Turkmenistan ranked 47th and 95th, with 44% and 27% respectively.

WHO said citizens of Greece smoke the most cigarettes a day – 8.6 on
average. Bulgaria, Japan, Bosnia and Slovenia were also in the list
of top five countries. Tobacco is the second major cause of death
in the world. It is currently responsible for the death of one in
ten adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year). If current
smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each
year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today -that is about 650
million people- will eventually be killed by tobacco, according to WHO.