WHO urges governments to stop tobacco farming in Western Pacific

The World Health Organization (WHO) urged governments in the Western Pacific region to stop subsidizing tobacco farming and support sustainable crops that could feed millions instead, according to a statement released by the WHO.

"It's time to grow food, not tobacco," said Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO acting regional director for the Western Pacific, stressing that more than 400 million in the region use tobacco, and 3 million users are killed every year. According to the Manila-based WHO regional office, more than 1 million hectares of land in the Western Pacific region are used to grow tobacco, while millions of people still face food insecurity.