World Health Organization Warns of Big Tobacco's Efforts to Reverse Declining Smoking Rates
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that the number of adult tobacco users has been steadily decreasing in recent years. However, the organization also cautioned that Big Tobacco is actively working to reverse this downward trend.
According to the WHO, in 2022, approximately one-in-five adults worldwide were smokers or consumed other tobacco products. This is a significant decrease compared to one-in-every-three adults in 2000.
Caution advised
While smoking rates have been declining in most countries, the WHO issued a warning that tobacco-related deaths are expected to remain high for years to come. Despite the decrease in smoking rates, tobacco use still claims the lives of over eight million people annually, according to WHO statistics. Shockingly, this number includes an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
Big Tobacco not sitting idly by
While celebrating the advances that have been made, the WHO warned that the tobacco industry was intent on rolling them back.
"Good progress has been made in tobacco control in recent years but there is no time for complacency," said Ruediger Krech, director of the WHO's health promotion department.
"I'm astounded at the depths the tobacco industry will go to pursue profits at the expense of countless lives," he said.
"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."
The WHO urged all countries to maintain and strengthen control policies and to fight "tobacco industry interference".
A new report emphasizes the importance of collecting accurate data on tobacco use among teenagers, particularly regarding newer smokeless products. The report highlights that at least 37 million adolescents worldwide use tobacco, with 12 million using smokeless tobacco products. The concern is that without reliable data, countries may struggle to counter the tobacco industry's claims that they are not targeting young people. The report also suggests that the industry actively undermines efforts to discourage young people from using tobacco. The report concludes that gathering data directly from adolescents about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices is crucial in combating the industry and implementing effective policies to prevent tobacco use initiation.
