Health & Medicine

Smoking May Kill 1 In 3 Young Men In China

Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Oct 09, 2015 03:18 PM EDT

There's a "growing epidemic of premature death" from tobacco use in China, according to new findings published in The Lancet medical journal. Researchers estimate that as many as one in three young men in the country will die from smoking.

Overall, mortality rates in China are falling, but as the population increases, deaths from smoking are growing considerably. Researchers at Oxford University, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the Chinese Center for Disease Control found that the number of tobacco deaths in China may rise to 2 million by 2030 and up to 3 million by 2050 from previous estimates of 1 million taken in 2010, according to The Washington Post.

The research was based on two studies that took place 15 years apart from each other. And though the future health of many Chinese men in the country looks grim if things continue as they are now, health officials note that if smokers chuck the habit or never start in the first place, these numbers could drastically change.

"Without rapid, committed, and widespread action to reduce smoking levels, China will face enormous numbers of premature deaths," said Liming Li, a professor at the Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing, via Reuters.

At this time, the Chinese government has been working on efforts to curb smoking in urban areas that include a movement toward banning smoking in public places.

Studies show that smoking can increase the risk of numerous health issues, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, heart attack and other health issue. Furthermore, non-smokers picking up on second-hand or even third-hand smoke are also at increased risk for numerous health issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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