Tobacco exposure killed seven million people in 2023, according to a medical study.

Tobacco exposure will cause more than 7 million deaths worldwide in 2023, according to estimates from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, based on data from the Global Burden of Disease study. These analyses were part of the panel discussion at the Global Conference on Tobacco Control, held in Dublin.

According to IHME researcher Brooks Morgan in a statement, “Tobacco exposure is one of the most significant risk factors identified in the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study, contributing to approximately one in eight deaths worldwide.” While the data show “encouraging” declines in tobacco-related deaths, Morgan says, others are moving in the opposite direction.

Therefore, he advocates "accelerating the implementation and strengthening the application of effective strategies to reduce tobacco consumption," something he considers "urgent."

Smoking in low-income countries

The World Conference on Tobacco Control also presented the work of a team from the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health (IECS) in Argentina. They analyzed the impact of tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries such as Bolivia, Honduras, Nigeria, Paraguay, and Uruguay. According to The Guardian , they estimate that tobacco caused more than 41,000 deaths in those five countries. In contrast, it generated a cost of around €3.7 billion in medical expenses, lost productivity, and informal care.

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A report released Monday by the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to strengthen their efforts against tobacco and new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes, through measures such as increasing taxes and requiring graphic warnings on packaging.

On Tuesday, Health Minister Mónica García informed members of the Congressional Health Committee that the new Anti-Tobacco Law will prohibit smoking on the terraces of bars and restaurants. Smoking will also be prohibited in work vehicles or in educational centers, including outdoor spaces such as school playgrounds or university campuses. Sports facilities and communal swimming pools, bus shelters, and outdoor party venues will become smoke-free.