Smoking will kill 1 billion

Some devices suck. A recently unveiled WHO report on smoking reveals some shocking stats on cigarettes. According the Bloomberg (as in Mayor Michael) financed report, smoking will kill 1 billion people this century. China, India, and Indonesia will top the list. As these economies mature, and purchasing power increased for consumers, the rise of cigarette purchases will be inevitable.



According to Foreign Policy

While progress has been made in many countries thanks to higher taxes and bans in public places (the unbelievable smoking ban in Paris cafes, for example), smoking is on the rise in the developing world. The WHO projects that one billion people, 80 percent of them in the developing world, will die of smoking-related illnesses by the end of the century if trends continue on their current trajectory.

More after the jump.

Update: Adding insult to injury, the Chinese government wants to encourage smoke-free restaurants during their Olympic Games. The backlash from consumers that insist on smoking have put certain restaurants on the brink of going out of business.