A study shows that a ban on tobacco sales for those born between 2006 and 2010 could avert 1.2 million lung cancer deaths by 2095. The study highlights the need for additional measures like higher cigarette taxes and smoke-free areas to reduce tobacco-related health risks further.
According to a recent study published in The Lancet Public Health, a ban on tobacco sales to individuals born between 2006 and 2010 could prevent approximately 1.2 million deaths from lung cancer by 2095. Tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for 85% of cases globally, per the World Health Organization. The study, one of the first to model the impact of a “tobacco-free generation,” utilized data on cancer incidences from 185 countries.
The research found that banning tobacco sales for these 650 million individuals could prevent over 45% of male lung cancer deaths and nearly 31% among women. Regionally, the projected impact varied: a potential 78% reduction in lung cancer deaths among Western European women and 75% among men in Central and Eastern Europe.
While some countries have already begun implementing tobacco-free generation policies, including New Zealand and regions of Australia and the U.S., the measure has faced political setbacks. New Zealands recent conservative government aims to revoke a 2008 ban, while the UKs Labour government backs a similar ban for those born after January 2009.