WHO releases new global report on tobacco

Photo of the launch of the WHO report in Rio De Jenerio.

GenevaMany governments are making headway in the fight against smoking, but a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that more could be done to help people stop using drugs.

"Quitting smoking is one of the best things anyone can do for their own health," said the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a press release on Friday.

According to the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2019, about 5 billion people, or 65% of the world's population, are now covered by at least one of the recommended tobacco control measures by l & # 39; WHO.

This number has more than quadrupled since 2007, when only about one billion people, or 15% of the world's population, were protected by at least one measure.

The package of tobacco control measures, known as MPOWER, includes six key strategies, namely: monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, protect people from tobacco smoke, help to stop smoking, warn people of the dangers of tobacco, enforce smoking bans advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and increase tobacco taxes.

These measures provided "practical tools to help people get rid of this habit, adding years to their lives and a life to their years," said Ghebreyesus.

Despite the progress made, the report noted that many countries are still failing to adequately implement MPOWER policies, which can effectively help people to quit and save lives.

"Unfortunately, the tobacco epidemic is far from over," the report says.

Although smoking has declined in most countries and regions, population growth means that the total number of tobacco users has remained stubbornly high, he added.

Since the last tobacco report in 2017, only one country, Brazil, has joined Turkey as the only country in the world to have adopted all MPOWER policies at the highest level.

In addition, only a few countries have put in place more than two best practice measures, while 59 countries have not yet adopted MPOWER.

The report is also concerned about the increasing availability of electronic cigarettes, particularly its increased use among young people.

Although the specific level of risk badociated with e-cigarettes has not yet been conclusively estimated, they are "undoubtedly harmful and should therefore be subject to regulation," the report says.

The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, claiming more than 8 million lives a year, according to the latest WHO data.

More than 7 million of these deaths are due to the direct use of tobacco, while about 1.2 million are due to the exposure of non-smokers to second-hand smoke, has it? he adds.