The Geography of Tobacco: Great American Smokeout
Today marks the 36th Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Ball State University Libraries' Atlas Collection includes a copy of The Tobacco Atlas published by the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation and sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Tobacco Atlas "maps the history, documents the current situation, and predicts the future of the tobacco epidemic." The atlas describes the story of tobacco around the world--"the leading agent of preventable death." The atlas includes hundreds of maps, charts, graphs, and other illustrations depicting the current issues with tobacco use around the world. "If there is anything you want to know about tobacco, you can find it in The Tobacco Atlas" according to Bill Gates.
The maps above (click to enlarge) show the percentage of tobacco deaths in men and women around the world and the countries where children are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes. This map shows countries in Eastern Europe where more than 90% of youth are exposed to secondhand smoke.
The first chart shows the percent of countries that ban smoking in restaurants as of 2007. Many local municipalities in the United States are currently implementing smoking bans in restaurants, including Indianapolis in an attempt to be smoke-free before the 2012 Super Bowl.
The United States has the leading female smoking population in the world, but India and China are gaining female tobacco users at alarming rates. Over six million women in India also use oral tobacco products in addition to cigarettes.
China leads the male smoking population. (There are actually more male smokers in China than the entire population of the United States). Again, India leads the way for oral tobacco use with over 97 million male users.
The Tobacco Atlas is available in the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. Atlases may be circulated for four weeks or longer.
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