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“Political leaders must do more to raise awareness and protect people from the harms of
tobacco,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I urge them to join
the global movement to promote health and protect people from avoidable suffering and deaths,
especially from tobacco use.”

In order to reduce premature deaths caused by tobacco, Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), says governments must urgently implement the
measures outlined in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

“Higher tobacco taxes, bans on tobacco advertising and promotion, smoke free environments in
all public and work places, and large and graphic health warnings on tobacco packages can all
help improve health.”

World off track to meet tobacco reduction target, with exception of the Region of the Americas

On this World No Tobacco Day, WHO issued its Global Report on Prevalence of Tobacco Use
(2000-2025). Tobacco kills over 7 million people each year, despite the steady reduction in
tobacco use globally. The report shows the pace of action in reducing tobacco demand and
related death and disease is too slow and not keeping up with global and national commitments

to control tobacco use. The report also shows that the target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use
by 2025 among people aged 15 and older is not on track to being met at the global level, with
the current pace of decline indicating only a 22% reduction by that time. The Region of the
Americas is the only exception; the current projections indicate that the target will be reached by

2025.

Cardiovascular disease and tobacco use in the Americas

In the region of the Americas, tobacco is responsible for 900,000 deaths per year, including
72,000 premature deaths caused by second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke, and associated
with 11% of the deaths caused by CVD.

The WHO FCTC, which came into force in 2005, calls on its Parties to take several measures to
reduce demand and supply for tobacco products. These interventions include protecting people

from exposure to tobacco smoke; banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship;
banning sales to minors; requiring health warnings on tobacco packaging; promoting tobacco
cessation, and increasing tobacco taxes.