Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education

Tobacco and poverty: a vicious circle The contribution of tobacco to premature death and disease is well documented. However,little attention has been paid to the link between tobacco and poverty. Tobacco tends to be consumed by those who are poorer. In turn, it contributes to poverty through loss of income,loss of productivity, disease and death. Together, tobacco and poverty form a vicious circle from which it is often difficult to escape.