"Two fifths of men in developing countries still smoke or use tobacco, and women are increasingly starting to smoke at younger ages, according to a large international study which found 'alarming patterns' of tobacco use," Reuters reports (Kelland, 8/17). The study, published Friday in the Lancet, "covered enough representative samples to estimate tobacco use among three billion people" and "'demonstrates an urgent need for policy change in low- and middle-income countries,' said lead researcher Gary Giovino," according to CNN (Levs, 8/17). "'Although 1.1 billion people have been covered by the adoption of the most effective tobacco control policies since 2008, 83 percent of the world's population are not covered by two or more of these policies,' said [Giovino]," Reuters adds (8/17).