Milena Assis
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília – It is estimated that 200,000 people die annually in Brazil due to problems caused by tobacco, reports the World Health Organization. They die from lung cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, asthma, bronchitis and respiratory infections. There are some 25 million smokers in Brazil.

This week the WHO is holding a conference in Switzerland on tobacco which, it points out, contains no less than 4,000 toxic substances, along with nicotine, which is addictive.

The Brazilian government has been running educational campaigns. Vera Colombo, of the National Cancer Institute (INCA), reports that in 1989, some 30% of Brazilians smoked. In 2003, that percentage had fallen to 19%.

Translation: Allen Bennett