Lotsa hype this weekend about the World Health Organization's recent hardcore statements on World No Tobacco Day, and why not? After all, despite all attempts by national governments in both hemispheres to prohibit, taper or otherwise ban smoking, lung cancer remains the no. 1 preventable cause of death in the world today.

Some key stats (because MPR loves stats) doled out by WHO include:

• comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship affect only 5% of the world's population;

• 1.8 billion youth are "targeted through the intenet, magazines, films, concerts and sporting events";

• some 20% of 13- to 15-year-olds surveyed by WHO own "an item with a cigarette brand logo";

• Russia has seen a tripling in female smokers and adolescent smokers in the last decade; and, most insane of all,

• most habitual smokers start before age 18, with almost one-quarter starting before age 10 (!).

WHO, through its Tobacco Free Initiative, reiterated its official stance on tobacco advertising over the weekend, with Tobacco Free Initiative director Douglas Bettcher stating "a full ban was necessary to ensure young people were shielded from dangerous messages."

Somehow "missed" amidst much press reportage of the acerbic statements on the evil weed was WHO's dire warning of a "Tobacco Offensive Against the Young."

In a statement delivered by WHO regional director for the Western Pacific Dr. Shigeru Omi, the organization warned of "the tobacco marketing net that targets half a billion young people in the Western Pacific Region" and of the "industry's marketing ploys to hook youngsters into addiction at an early age."

No numbers were thought necessary by WHO here, with Dr. Omi instead relaying the information that

• The more young people are exposed to tobacco advertising, the more likely they are to use tobacco.
• Widespread tobacco advertising makes tobacco use look normal and makes it difficult for young people to believe that smoking can kill.

Or, as MPR's First Rule of Advertising says, "The good news is advertising works. The bad news is advertising works."

Omi went on to state that girls and young female adults are specially targeted by the industry and that this is advertising's current special focus.

WHO encourages "policy-makers to support the ban on advertising, sponsorship and promotion called for in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control."