MADRID (dpa-AFX) - According to a study, led by researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and global collaborators, banning smoking could prevent 1.2 million deaths from lung cancer by 2095 in individuals born between 2006 and 2010.
'Lung cancer is a major killer worldwide, and a staggering two-thirds of deaths are linked to one preventable risk factor-tobacco smoking. Our modeling highlights how much there is to gain for governments considering the implementation of ambitious plans towards creating a tobacco-free generation,' said author Dr. Julia Rey Brandariz of the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
'Not only could this save huge numbers of lives, it could massively reduce the strain on health systems of treating and caring for people in ill health as a result of smoking.'
The simulation study, published in The Lancet Public Health journal, analyzed data regarding cancer cases and deaths from 185 countries, focusing on Gen Z, who are now reaching the legal age to use tobacco products.
Researchers found that over 45 percent of cancer deaths among men, and nearly 31 percent among women could be prevented. Additionally, about 61 percent of lung cancer deaths could be avoided in high-income countries.
'While rates of smoking in high-income countries have fallen in recent years, lung cancer remains a leading cause of death and disease. In low- and middle-income countries, which have rapidly growing populations of young people, the impact of banning tobacco sales could be even greater,' said author Dr. Isabelle Soerjomataram from International Agency for Research on Cancer.
'Part of the reason why eliminating smoking could save so many lives in low- and middle-income countries is because they tend to have younger populations than high-income countries. Smoking also remains very common in many of these countries, while rates have fallen in many high-income countries.'
The authors emphasized that tobacco-free generation policies alone are insufficient to prevent deaths. They also called for additional measures, such as increasing taxes on cigarettes, and promoting smoke-free environments.
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