The objective of this study was to assess the smoking situation in Brazil, and the
role of the tobacco control program in curbing smoking in the country. Available evidence
indicates that there was a significant decline in smoking and total cigarette consumption per
adult since the early 1990s. However, smoking is more concentrated among the uneducated
groups of the population, which may also be the poorer. Lung cancer rates during early
adult life decreased among males between 1980 and 2004, but increased among females.
From 1996 to 2005, there were over 1 million hospitalizations attributable to smoking,
which cost about US$0.5 billion.
The government has already complied with many provisions of the WHO Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control. The tobacco control program is considered very
innovative, but it has mainly focused on non-price instruments. Brazil has laid a strong
foundation for unprecedented public health gain. Modest additional action could yield
substantial additional health gains by preventing premature death among the 21 million
current smokers.