Smoking prevalence in Uzbekistan will decrease by 4.6% over the next five years. Despite this, tobacco-related mortality will continue to be a major issue, according to an international research team. Kursiv Uzbekistan has obtained the report.
In 2021, 18.8% of men and 0.5% of women in the country smoked. Projections suggest that between 2020 and 2025, the total number of smokers will fall by 4.6%.
However, smoking will still pose a significant threat to public health. It leads to deaths from conditions like oral and lung cancer, as well as heart disease. In Uzbekistan, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death.
Researchers note that improving smoking cessation programs and introducing new treatment methods could save over 880,000 lives over the next 16 years in both Uzbekistan and Malaysia, the countries studied in the report.
