WHO report on Tobacco Control

WHO report on Tobacco Control

News: The new WHO report on tobacco control highlights global progress.

Background:
• Across the world, there are 300 million fewer smokers today, with the prevalence of smoking declining from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021.

Key Findings of report:
• According to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report, 5.6 billion people – 71% of the world’s population – are now protected with at least one best practice policy to help save lives from deadly tobacco – five times more than in 2007.
• The report rates country progress in tobacco control and shows that two more countries, Mauritius and the Netherlands, have achieved best-practice level in all MPOWER measures, a feat that only Brazil and Türkiye had accomplished until now.
• WHO warns against the aggressive promotion of e-cigarettes as a safer alternative, especially for youth/
• India excels in health warning labels and tobacco dependence treatment; bans sale of e-cigarettes. 27% reduction in smoking in public places in Bengaluru is due to enforcement and communication efforts.
• The report also recommends the need for warnings on OTT platforms, stronger enforcement, bans on loose cigarette sales, and increased fines.

What is the MPOWER measures?
MPOWER is a package of six proven policies to help countries reduce demand for tobacco. The six cost-effective and high impact measures include:
• Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies
• Protecting people from tobacco smoke
• Offering help to quit tobacco use
• Warning about the dangers of tobacco
• Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
• Raising taxes on tobacco

How does Tobacco affect health?
• Tobacco use can lead to various diseases affecting the heart, liver, and lungs, including infections like pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Smoking also causes peripheral arterial disease, high blood pressure, and increases the risk of tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system.
• Smoking can also lead to gum disease, tooth loss, lowered immune system function, type 2 diabetes, decreased sense of smell and taste, premature aging of the skin, bad breath, stained teeth, and lower bone density.
• It can lead to pregnancy complications, low birth weight etc

What are key initiatives taken by India in this context?
• The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 bans the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution of electronic cigarettes in India.
• A Total ban on advertisements of tobacco products.
• Large sized health warnings on tobacco products
• India is a signatory to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
• National Tobacco Control Programme and Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan