And it cautioned that research showed there was "a serious lack of knowledge" about the different health risks associated with tobacco. But many people are unaware that nearly half of those deaths, around three million, are due to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, WHO warned. Yet in many countries, there is very low awareness that smoking significantly increases your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. In China for instance, a large WHO survey showed that more than 60 percent of the population is unaware that smoking can cause heart attacks, while in India and Indonesia, more than half of adults are unaware that smoking can cause stroke. "Governments have the power in their hands to protect their citizens from suffering needlessly from heart disease," said Douglas Bettcher, who heads WHO's non-communicable disease prevention unit.

Source: Bangkok Post May 30, 2018 22:41 UTC