Globally, about one in three men smoke, and one in ten adults die annually from tobacco-related diseases. As the smoking rates in the developed countries continue to reduce, the rate in developing countries continues to rise (World Health Organization 2002). Indeed, part of the preamble to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) discusses the “deep concern about the escalation in smoking and other forms of tobacco consumption by indigenous populations and other minority groups worldwide.” The FCTC also mentions the “need to take measures to promote the participation of indigenous individuals and communities in the development, implementation and evaluation of tobacco control programs that are socially and culturally appropriate to their needs and perspectives” (World Health Organization 2000).
