Calay News
According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), currently 5.6 billion people, representing 71% of the world’s population, are protected by at least one tobacco control measure, a significant increase since 2007, which is five times greater. The global smoking rate has decreased from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021.
WHO’s MPOWER program, launched in 2008, has been instrumental in this progress, providing countries with a set of six strategies to reduce tobacco demand. These strategies include protecting people from tobacco smoke, raising tobacco taxes, policing consumption, supporting those who want to quit smoking, warning about the dangers of tobacco, and banning tobacco-related advertising.
According to the director of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “more and more people are protected against the ravages of tobacco” thanks to these measures. Eight countries, including Ethiopia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, and New Zealand, are close to reaching the full MPOWER program.
Despite these advances, there is still work to be done, as 44 countries have not implemented any of the program’s measures, leaving 2.3 billion people without tobacco protection. It is estimated that if these measures had not been applied, there would be 300 million more smokers in the world.
The consequences of smoking are devastating, with approximately 8.7 million deaths related to active or passive tobacco use each year. The WHO emphasizes that these measures have had a significant impact on people’s lives and have been fundamental in reducing the risks associated with smoking.
