<strong>China: Taiwan Warns of High Incidence of Disease Linked to Smoking</strong>

Source from:  WantChinaTimes 11/21/2013

Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration called on smokers to put out their cigarettes Tuesday, citing data that links Taiwan's high incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with the prevalence of smoking among men and secondhand smoke inhalation among women.

Some 90% of the cases of the disease are caused by smoking or secondhand smoke, the administration said, warning that every one in four smokers is at risk of developing it.

As of 2012, one-third of Taiwanese men were smokers, representing a big decline, but the number is still 50% higher than smoking rates in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

While the female smoking rate was far lower at 4.3%, 22.1% of women are affected by second-smoke at home.

Exposure to second-hand smoke puts the families of smokers at higher risk of developing the disease, as well, the administration cautioned.

World Health Organization data shows that the disease affects an estimated 10% of people aged 40 years and older worldwide. About 3 million people died of the chronic lung disease in 2011.

Quitting smoking is the best way to prevent the disease, the health body said, urging smokers to take advantage of government-sponsored programs which promote giving up smoking. Enditem