GENEVA, Dec. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The World Health Organization (WHO)said Thursday that it will not recruit smokers under a tough new anti-smoking campaign.

    "WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or other tobacco users from Dec. 1, 2005," the UN health agency said in a letter to job seekers.

    New recruits will be asked whether they smoke and whether they would continue to do so when they were employed by WHO. Anyone who answers "yes" to both questions will not be employed by WHO.

    "WHO is at the forefront of the global campaign to curb the tobacco epidemic ... The organization has a responsibility to ensure that this is reflected in all its work," according to officials of the UN agency.

    Tobacco-related disease kills nearly 5 million people around the world each year, and the annual death toll is expected to double to 10 million by 2020, according to WHO figures. Enditem