Smokers butting out

FEWER people are smoking, especially women, but only one country in eight is on track to meet a target of reducing tobacco use significantly by 2025, the World Health Organisation says.

Three million people die prematurely each year due to tobacco. Its use causes cardiovascular diseases, the world’s leading killers, WHO said yesterday to mark World No Tobacco Day.

China and India have the highest numbers of smokers, accounting for 307 million and 106 million, respectively.