WHO reveals a decline in global tobacco use rates

The World Health Organization’s latest tobacco trend report reveals 1.25 billion global adult tobacco users. In 2022, global tobacco use rates continue to decline despite the tobacco industry’s effort to jeopardize progress.

One in five adults worldwide currently uses tobacco, down from one in three in 2000. The report indicates that 150 countries successfully reduced tobacco use. Brazil achieved a 35% relative reduction since 2010, and the Netherlands nears a 30% reduction with MPOWER measures.

In the words of Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of WHO Department of Health Promotion, “Good progress has been made in tobacco control in recent years, but there is no time for complacency.

“I’m astounded at the depths the tobacco industry will go to pursue profits at the expense of countless lives. We see that the minute a government thinks they have won the fight against tobacco, the tobacco industry seizes the opportunity to manipulate health policies and sell their deadly products,” she said.

The WHO urges countries to enforce tobacco control policies and resist interference from the tobacco industry.

According to the report, the WHO South-East Asian Region leads in tobacco use at 26.5%. The European Region closely follows at 25.3%. By 2030, the WHO European Region is expected to have the highest global rates, exceeding 23%. Tobacco use among women in the WHO European region is twice the global average and decreases slower than in other regions.

Despite a steady decline, the world will make it to a 25% relative reduction in tobacco use by 2025, missing the voluntary global goal of a 30% reduction from the 2010 baseline. According to WHO reports, only 56 countries will reach this goal, a decrease from the 2021 report.

WHO urges countries to increase efforts for tobacco control as there is still much work to be done.

A new WHO report shows that there are 1.25 billion tobacco users worldwide – that’s 1 in 5 adults!

But here’s the GOOD news 📢 Tobacco use is declining ↘️ despite the tobacco industry’s attempts to jeopardise progress. Read more 👉https://t.co/b22N5V4XI5 #NoTobacco pic.twitter.com/g8JIFFwMGW

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 16, 2024

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