Causecast

by CLAIRE DALTON, Contributing Writer

The black market cigarette trade is rapidly taking its toll on the people of Asia. Made up of many developing countries, problems of efficiency and corruption in law enforcement and border controls have allowed smugglers to easily transport huge shipments of illicit cigarettes to their people. As a result, more than half of the male population smokes in many of these countries; in some countries, such as Bangladesh and Turkey, the female and adolescent populations are rapidly catching up.

Not surprisingly, the World Health Organization has classified tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death. With Asia accounting for 60% of the world’s population, it is essential that we focus our efforts on this large community in need, and more specifically, the poor within this community.

A report by the WHO released Sunday states that 80% of all smokers live in developing countries. With almost half of the world’s poor living in Southeast Asia, the problem is compounded to the point of tragedy, with 1.2 million of the 5 million annual global tobacco-related deaths taking place in this region. Despite the staggering level of poverty in this region, many of the citizens in Bangladesh and Indonesia spend up to 15% of their income on tobacco products. As they become addicted, the black market allows them access to cheap tobacco, fueling this illicit trade at the price of as many as 132,000 lives annually.

Government representatives in Geneva are currently campaigning to fight the black market trade of cigarettes as a means to help save lives. While the black market accounts for 11.6% of all cigarettes consumed worldwide, its market share is 16.8% on average in poorer countries like those in Southeast Asia. By taking away the power of the black market, not only can we save lives, but we can then focus our time and effort on all of the illness caused by years of tobacco abuse.

“When a loaf of bread looks like a feast, I’ve no right buying tobacco.”—Grandpa Joe, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Photo by FrancisBourgouin, flickr