Published by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of the Tobacco Free Initiative, the Tobacco Atlas explores how tobacco is not just a health issue, "but involves economics, big business, politics, trade, litigation, deceit and crimes such as smuggling." The atlas maps the history, current situation and some predictions for the future of what the authors call the tobacco epidemic, up to the year 2050. The atlas includes full-colour world maps and graphics, revealing similarities and differences between countries, on the history of tobacco, different types of tobacco use, prevalence and consumption, youth smoking, the economics of tobacco, farming and manufacturing, smuggling, the tobacco industry, promotion, profits, trade, smokers' rights, legislative action such as smoke-free areas, bans on tobacco advertising, health warnings, quitting, the effect of price and taxation, litigation and the future of the epidemic.

The Tobacco Atlas is intended for anyone concerned with personal or political health, governance, politics, economics, big business, corporate behaviour, smuggling, tax, religion, internet, allocation of resources, human development and the future. It aims to be useful for UN agencies, governments and politicians, health officials, the media, researchers, universities, schools, and the general public.

Contents include the following.

• Part one: prevalence and health - outlines types of tobacco use as well as prevelence and consumption among men, women and youth. It further outlines health risks of smoking and passive smoking, including deaths.
• Part two: the costs of tobacco - discusses costs to the economy and costs to the smoker.
• Part three: the tobacco trade - provides an overview of the tobacco industry including growing, manufacturing, and trade, as well as smuggling.
• Part four: promotion - outlines advertising and internet sales. This section also discusses the political influence of the tobacco industry and smokers' rights groups.
• Part five: taking action - provides information about research, tobacco control organisations, and legislation around tobacco. This section also discusses education and measures to encourage quitting. It also discusses legal action against the tobacco industry and projections for the future.
• Part six: world tables - provides tables outlining the demographics and business of tobacco such as land area devoted to growing tobacco; quantity produced; number of tobacco workers; number of cigarettes manufactured, etc.

Click here to download the document in PDF format by section.

Click here to access the online interactive edition of the Atlas.

A Chinese edition is available (both traditional and simplified characters) from The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health. Contact enq@cosh.org.hk for details.