Conclusion
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control demonstrates commitment to decisive action against the global tobacco epidemic, which kills millions of people and disables millions more each year. More than 160 Parties to the WHO FCTC, covering 86% of the world’s population, have made a legally binding commitment to implement effective tobacco control policies. Unlike many leading public health problems, the means to curb tobacco use are within our reach: with the specific demand reduction measures in MPOWER and other WHO FCTC policies, countries have tobacco control tools needed to reduce tobacco use and save lives.
The results presented in this report show that progress is possible and is being made. In some countries, this progress has been rapid and sweeping – these countries can serve as models for action by countries that still need to do more to protect their people against the harms of tobacco use.
If we do not continue to expand and intensify tobacco control efforts, millions of people will continue to die each year from preventable tobacco-related illness, and tens of billions of dollars will be lost annually to avoidable health-care expenditures and productivity losses.
This report shows that nearly 400 million additional people are benefiting from a tobacco control policy newly implemented during 2008 but also that there is still far more work that must be done.
■■ Less than 10% of the world’s population is covered by any one of the MPOWER demand reduction measures.
■■ Progress on implementing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship has stalled, leaving more than 90% of the world’s population without protection from tobacco industry marketing.
■■ Progress on increasing tobacco taxes has also come to a halt, with nearly 95% of the world’s population living in countries where taxes represent less than 75% of retail price.
■■ Tobacco control remains severely underfunded, with 173 times as many dollars collected worldwide through tobacco tax revenues each year than are spent on tobacco control Progress has been made on smoke-free policies, which are the focus of this report, yet most people worldwide are still not protected from the dangers of second-hand tobacco smoke exposure.
■■ An additional 2.3% of the world’s population – representing more than 154 million people – became newly covered by smoke-free laws in 2008, with nearly all living in low- and middle-income countries.
■■ Smoke-free policies at the subnational level are becoming increasingly common. Of the 100 biggest cities in the world, 22 are smoke-free – and three more (Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo, all in Brazil) have become smoke-free since data for this report were collected.
■■ Compliance with smoke-free laws is low. Only 2% of the world’s population live in countries with comprehensive smoke-free laws that also have high levels of compliance.
The current global economic crisis makes it even more imperative that countries ensure they have the means to fund effective tobacco control programmes. Increasing taxes on tobacco not only greatly reduces smoking prevalence, it also increases government revenues and generates funding that can be spent on tobacco control and other public health initiatives. However, even with existing tax rates, tobacco control remains severely underfunded, particularly among low- and middle-income countries.
Above all, in addition to funding, tobacco control requires political commitment at the highest levels of government. Unless urgent action is taken, more than 1 billion people could be killed by tobacco during this century. The success of the WHO FCTC provides strong evidence that this political will exists on national and global levels and can be tapped to great effect. By taking action to implement the measures to reduce tobacco use, governments and civil society can and will save millions of lives each year.
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