The World Health Organisation has called on governments across the globe to significantly increase the price of cigarettes and tobacco.

Officials said the move would help to save the lives of millions of people.

This price increase would save 10 million lives

WHO

It wants prices to increase by at least 5% after inflation.

Officials say the move would be particularly effective in poorer countries where smoking rates are high and would discourage young people from taking up the habit.

Giving up

They cited a recent World Bank report suggesting that a 10% price rise would lead to 40m people giving up smoking. Millions more would not start.

In a statement, the WHO said: "This price increase would save 10 million lives. Nine million of the premature deaths avoided would be in developing countries."

It added that if government's believed 10% increases were too steep they should start with a 5% rise.

"Tobacco tax increase is an effective public health intervention, especially in the area of preventing youth initiation."

The call comes ahead of a WHO summit on Tuesday, when representatives of the organization's 192 member countries meet to discuss a new international treaty to curb smoking.

Talks on drawing up the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control began in 1999 and are due to conclude next year.

Under the treaty, countries would commit themselves to banning advertising and the use of terms such as "mild" and "low tar" which the WHO regards as misleading.

They would also work together to combat cigarette smuggling and to exchange information and research results that could be used in cases of litigation against tobacco companies.

The health body recently revised upwards its estimate for the annual death toll from smoking related diseases to 4.9m people from 4.2m.

It also said its forecast of 10 million deaths a year by 2030 was probably an underestimate.