Tobacco's many ills growing too costly

Smoking-related diseases are on track to claim more than 200 million lives in China this century, a World Health Organization/United Nations Development Programme joint report warns. Most of these deaths will occur in China's poorest and most vulnerable communities unless critical steps are taken to reduce the country's dependency on tobacco.

The report, "The Bill China Cannot Afford: Health, Economic and Social Costs of China's Tobacco Epidemic", was issued on Friday. It explores the consequences China's tobacco use on its development.

The rapidly increasing costs associated with tobacco use in China are unsustainable, the report said, citing an estimated total cost in 2014 of $57 billion, more than 10 times what it was in 2000.