[ti:On World No Tobacco Day, Special Attention Goes to Women, Girls] [ar:Bob Doughty] [al:Development Report] [by:51voa.com] [00:00.00]This is the VOA Special English [00:03.14]Development Report. [00:04.78]World No Tobacco Day is celebrated [00:09.41]each thirty-first of May. [00:11.60] The observance is meant [00:13.85]to bring attention to the growing [00:16.14]use of tobacco and its deadly effects. [00:19.57]The World Health Assembly [00:22.86]established the event [00:24.30]in nineteen eighty-seven. [00:26.99]This year, special attention [00:29.73]is being given to the harmful [00:32.12]effects of tobacco marketing [00:34.11]to women and girls. [00:36.64]The World Health Organization says [00:40.18]tobacco kills nearly five [00:43.56]and a half million people a year [00:46.51]-- another victim every six seconds. [00:50.49]Tobacco use is a top cause [00:53.92]of death worldwide. [00:56.01]One billion people smoke. [00:59.20]More than eighty percent [01:01.74]of tobacco users live in low [01:04.62]and middle income countries. [01:07.41]The W.H.O. says [01:10.20]the tobacco industry [01:12.29]has increasingly directed [01:14.23]its marketing campaigns [01:16.27]at women and girls. [01:18.76]Women currently represent [01:21.79]about twenty percent of smokers. [01:24.43]But tobacco use among girls is increasing. [01:28.51]Data collected from [01:31.94]one hundred fifty-one countries [01:34.58]show that about seven percent [01:37.72]of young girls now smoke. [01:40.45]That compares with twelve percent of boys. [01:44.73]In some countries, however, [01:47.82]the rates are almost equal. [01:50.36]Almost one hundred seventy countries [01:54.69]have signed a treaty called [01:57.19]the Framework Convention [01:59.32]on Tobacco Control. [02:01.32]The W.H.O. is calling [02:04.30]on those governments [02:05.94]to ban tobacco advertising [02:08.48]to the fullest extent possible [02:10.97]and to do more to protect women. [02:14.31]The agreement seeks [02:16.95]to reduce the demand [02:18.69]and supply of tobacco products. [02:21.23]This year marks the fifth anniversary [02:25.56]since the treaty went into effect. [02:28.26]Eighty percent of the signers [02:31.59]have banned the sale [02:33.48]of tobacco products to young people. [02:36.12]Seventy percent have required [02:39.31]health warnings on tobacco products. [02:41.45]The W.H.O. estimates that tobacco [02:45.68]use caused one hundred million deaths [02:49.21]in the twentieth century. [02:51.55]If current rates continue, [02:54.39]that number could reach [02:56.23]one billion in this century. [02:58.57]Events are planned in a number [03:02.55]of countries to mark World No Tobacco Day. [03:06.43]Many of the events are aimed [03:08.92]at persuading people, [03:10.72]especially the young, [03:12.31]not to start smoking. [03:14.45]Others aim to educate people [03:17.85]about the many health benefits of quitting. [03:20.38]And that's the VOA Special English [03:24.56]Development Report, [03:25.71]written by June Simms. [03:27.70]We have a link to a list [03:30.88]of activities for World No Tobacco Day [03:34.22]on our website, 51voa.com. [03:39.00]And while you're there, [03:40.89]tell us if you have been able [03:42.98]to quit smoking, [03:44.27]and what advice you might [03:46.41]have for others. [03:47.65]You can also post comments [03:50.49]on Facebook at VOA Learning English. [03:54.82]I'm Bob Doughty.