A tobacco-free generation will prevent more than a million deaths from lung cancer worldwide

A study conducted by the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), as well as others, and just published in the Lancet Public Health, shows that a tobacco-free generation will prevent 1.2 million deaths from lung cancer on the planet.

According to USC, banning the sale of tobacco products to people born after a certain year, with the goal of preventing them from ever starting to use it, is known as a “tobacco-free generation.” This is a measure that has been applied or taken into account in various countries, but until now there has never been a global assessment of the impact that this type of action could have worldwide.

The study, covering a total of 185 countries, is based on a hypothetical scenario in which tobacco consumption would be banned for the population born between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2010, assuming the action was carried out perfectly.

The number of lives saved exceeds the million barrier, meaning 40.2% of all lung cancer deaths among people born in this five-year period will be averted by 2095. More deaths from lung cancer could be avoided. lung cancer in men (45.8% of total deaths) than in women (30.9% of total).

By region, the highest mortality rate was recorded in Western Europe (73.6%). For men, more deaths were avoidable in the Central and Eastern Europe region (74.3%) and for women in Western Europe (77.7%).

“Although the percentage of preventable deaths from lung cancer is higher in men worldwide, in some regions of North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand the percentage is higher in women,” the USC research team explained. Faculty of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

The team thus highlighted that 21,900 deaths could have been avoided in Spain, of which 11,600 occurred in men and 10,300 in women.

“This would mean preventing 71.9% and 73.1% of expected lung cancer deaths in men and women, respectively,” the group said.