Over a million people die in China due to smoking-related diseases every year: WHO report

More than a million people in China are killed by smoking-related diseases every year, and the number will double by 2030 if the current smoking trend continues, a report warned on Wednesday. China is the home for the world’s largest number of smokers. The country has over 350 million smokers. The report, jointly released by China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) China Office at a press conference, has highlighted China’s smoking situation and its negative effects.

It pointed out that there are currently more than 300 million cigarette smokers in the country. About 26.6 per cent of Chinese people aged 15 and above are smokers, and of this age group, more than half of men smoke cigarettes, Chinese state news agency reported. The report was released ahead of the 34th World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31.