A recent study analyzed the global impact of smoking on mortality rates across different income groups, and also revealed smoking's notable influences on the incidence of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

The analysis, published in BMC Public Health, looked at data from 199 countries from 1990 to 2019, and categorized them into high-, upper middle–, lower middle–, and low-income groups. 

By 2020, smoking contributed for 22.3% of annual deaths worldwide due to excessive tobacco use. The study found that cardiovascular disease mortality was significantly higher in upper middle–income and high-income groups. For instance, cardiovascular disease death rates peaked at 1,156 per 100,000 people in Uzbekistan in 2005, with the highest mean death rates observed in lower middle–income countries. Chronic respiratory disease also showed substantial impacts on mortality rates across all income groups. Additionally, increased stroke mortality was observed in lower middle–, upper middle–, and high-income countries. Notably, in high-income countries, the average stroke death rate decreased by 51.46% between 1990 and 2019. Furthermore, these countries demonstrated a strong association between smoking and lung cancer death rates.

The study highlighted the significant impact of smoking on mortality rates, especially in high-income countries, and stressed the need for targeted interventions in these areas to address the public health challenges associated with tobacco use, such as "implementing prohibitive measures extending to indoor public areas such as workplaces and public transportation services," noted the study authors.

The authors reported no potential conflict of interest.