Control measures working
The “tobacco epidemic” is among the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing over eight million people a year, according to WHO. More than seven million of these deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, but some 1.3 million non-smokers die from exposure to second-hand smoke.Examples include Brazil and the Netherlands, which are seeing the benefits of implementing an initiative known as MPOWER, focused on six tobacco control measures including protection, enforcement of advertising and sponsorship bans, raising taxes on tobacco products, and helping people to quit.Country surveys consistently show that children aged 13 to 15 years in most nations are using tobacco and nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, the agency said.
Profit over people
Southeast Asia currently has the highest percentage of population using tobacco at 26.5 per cent, followed closely by Europe at 25.3 per cent. Tobacco use rates among women in Europe are more than double the global average and are reducing much slower than in all other regions.WHO urged countries to continue putting tobacco control policies in place and to keep fighting against tobacco industry interference, highlighting how it “continues to lie to the public,” including through front groups and third parties, sponsored events, social media influencers, sponsored events and funding scientists and biased research.WHO said the world is on track to achieve a 25 per cent relative reduction in tobacco use by 2025, short of the voluntary global goal of 30 per cent reduction from the 2010 baseline.
Prevalence by region
Dr. Ruediger Krech, Director of WHO’s Department of Health Promotion, hailed the “good progress” achieved so far while warning against complacency.Only 56 countries will reach this goal, down from 60 since the last report three years ago,
Missing the goal
As a result, Brazil has made a relative reduction of 35 per cent since 2010 and the Netherlands is on the verge of reaching the 30 per cent target.