Historically, assessing tobacco use has been weakened by the lack of data in most countries. Efforts are on their way.

Historically, assessing tobacco use has been weakened by the lack of data in most countries, particularly those in developing regions. However, with the development and implementation of the global youth tobacco survey (GYTS), global school personnel survey (GSPS) and the global health professionals survey (GHPS), the data gap is narrowing. Efforts are still ongoing to create a global adult tobacco surveillance system. These systems can help monitor the global tobacco epidemic and advance research to promote effective tobacco control programs.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Global Tobacco Control - a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating Center for Global Tobacco Prevention and Control. (GYTS, GSPS, GHPS). http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/
2. World Health Organization. Tobacco Free Initiative. http://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/en/
3. Bloomberg Worldwide Stop Smoking Initiative. One element of this 2-year initiative is to develop an adult tobacco survey for low- and middle- income countries. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2006/s13/en/
4. Mackay J, Eriksen M, Shafey O. The Tobacco Atlas, 2nd ed. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2006. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/AA/content/AA_2_5_9x_Tobacco_Atlas.asp