snuff is a public health priority? 
The snuff is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Currently causing one of every 10 deaths among adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths per year). To stay current patterns of smoking, snuff consumption will cause 10 million deaths per year by 2020. Half of the people who smoke today, or about 650 million people will die of snuff.
risk factors for common disease worldwide, the snuff is in fourth place. The economic cost of snuff consumption is equally devastating. Besides the high public health costs related to treatment of diseases caused by snuff, snuff killing people at the peak of their productive lives, depriving families of their livelihoods and nations of a healthy workforce. In addition, consumers of snuff are less productive during their lives because of their greater vulnerability to disease. A 1994 report estimated that the use of snuff resulted in an annual global net loss of U.S. $ 200 000 million, and a third of this loss being in developing countries.
The snuff and poverty are inextricably linked. Numerous studies have shown that in the poorest households in some countries low-income snuff products represent up to 10% of household expenditure. This means that these families have less money to spend on basic necessities such as food, education and health care. In addition to its direct health effects, the snuff leads to malnutrition, increased health care costs and premature death. It also contributes to higher rates of illiteracy, and that money could be used for education is spent, instead, to snuff. The relationship between snuff and worsening poverty has been largely ignored by researchers in both areas.
Experience has indicated that there many cost effective measures for the control of snuff can be applied in different contexts and have a significant impact on the consumption of snuff.
The most effective strategies in relation to the costs are public policies aimed at the general population, for example
advertising bans direct and indirect
snuff;
tax increases and snuff product prices ;
building smoke free in all public places and workplaces , and health messages
conspicuous and clear snuff packages. All these measures are addressed in the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention for the Control of Snuff.
Contact Tobacco Free Initiative WHO / Noncommunicable Disease and Mental Health
20 Avenue Appia 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland
Phone: +41 22 791 2126
Fax: + 41 22 791 4832 E-mail
: tfi@who.int
This message is the best explanation I've found.
Official Link:
http://www.who.int/tobacco/health_priority/es/index.html
