FACT AND FIGURES

Don’t feed the world, get it to smoke.
The effect of tobacco growing on food production


Tobacco growing means less land for food crops. Estimates suggest that up to 20 million people could be fed if we got rid of tobacco and grew food crops instead. 1 And although the good news is that life expectancy in many developing countries is improving, thanks to better infectious disease control, the bad news is that tobacco-related illnesses are on the rise as tobacco companies woo these new markets. 2

  1. 1. Barry, M. The influence of the US Tobacco industry on the health, economy, and environment of developing countries. New England J Medicine, 1991; 324: 917-9
  2. 2. http://www.smokefreeeastsussex.org.uk/facts/environment