WHO: Global Smoking Rate Down By One-Third Since Tobacco Control Treaty Took Effect 20 Years Ago

Key Points:

1.World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that on the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, global smoking rates have decreased by one third.

2.Smoking causes over 8 million deaths annually, making tobacco the leading threat to public health.

3.Cigarettes remain the most common form of tobacco consumption globally, but other forms include hookah, cigars, mini cigars, hand-rolled cigarettes, pipe tobacco, bidis, and clove cigarettes.

4.The World Health Organization is facing financial constraints, but it is necessary to continue strengthening tobacco control policies and measures.

On May 19th, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at the opening ceremony of the 78th World Health Assembly that global smoking rates have decreased by one-third since the official implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control 20 years ago. If smoking rates do not decrease, the number of smokers today will increase by 300 million.

During his speech, he praised countries such as Ivory Coast, Oman, and Vietnam for implementing stricter regulations last year, including plain packaging and restrictions on e-cigarettes. He pointed out the World Health Organization's new guidelines on waste and the expansion of the Africa Tobacco-Free Farm Initiative, which has supported thousands of farmers in transitioning to growing food crops.

According to data provided by the World Health Organization, tobacco use continues to be a significant threat to public health. Tobacco is responsible for over 8 million deaths each year, with more than 7 million of those deaths attributed to current or former smokers, and over 1.2 million deaths resulting from exposure to secondhand smoke among non-smokers.

The World Health Organization has stated that all forms of tobacco use are harmful to health and there is no safe level of consumption. While cigarettes remain the most common form of tobacco consumption globally, other forms include hookah, cigars, cigarillos, hand-rolled cigarettes, pipe tobacco, bidis, and kreteks.

Despite the effectiveness of tobacco control measures over the past 20 years, tobacco continues to pose a significant threat to public health. It is necessary to continue strengthening tobacco control policies and measures in order to further reduce smoking rates and lessen the harm to health.

In addition, Tedros also expressed concerns about the tight funding of the World Health Organization, contrasting its budget with global expenditures:

"21 billion dollars is equivalent to global military spending every eight hours; 21 billion dollars is equivalent to the cost of a stealth bomber – used for killing people; 21 billion dollars is equivalent to a quarter of the tobacco industry's annual advertising and promotion expenses. And yet, this is another product for killing."