By Joke Kujenya
A STARK warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) has reignited calls for urgent global action as rising tobacco industry interference stalls momentum in public health efforts.
The new Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report, launched at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, presents a mixed picture, documenting historic progress while exposing troubling gaps in enforcement and equity.
Also, the WHO report evaluates countries’ implementation of the MPOWER tobacco control package, six proven measures introduced in 2007 to reduce tobacco use, now responsible for over 7 million deaths annually.
These include monitoring tobacco use, protecting people from smoke, offering help to quit, warning about dangers through packaging and campaigns, enforcing advertising bans, and raising tobacco taxes.
Already, the report discloses that more than 6.1 billion people, around three-quarters of the world’s population, are now covered by at least one best-practice MPOWER measure, up from just 1 billion in 2007.
It says that four countries, namely, Brazil, Mauritius, Türkiye, and the Netherlands have fully implemented all six.
Whereas, seven others, including Ethiopia, Ireland, and New Zealand, are quite close behind, according to the report.
Despite these gains, 40 countries still lack a single MPOWER measure at the best-practice level.
It adds that over 30 nations continue to sell cigarettes without health warnings on packaging, undermining efforts to protect public health.
The WHO has also flagged tobacco industry tactics as a major obstacle to enforcement and progress, particularly in low- and middle-income nations.
Graphic health warnings, given by the WHO report, have also seen the most notable improvements.
From just nine countries in 2007, the agency says 110 now require large, pictorial warnings, covering 62% of the global population.
Another twenty-five have introduced plain packaging. However, the report reveals a lack of consistency in enforcement, especially for smokeless tobacco products.
Furthermore, tobacco taxation, which is one of the most cost-effective interventions, remains poorly implemented.
Only three countries have raised taxes to best-practice levels since 2022, and 134 countries have failed to make cigarettes less affordable.
Meanwhile, only one-third of the world’s population has access to cost-covered quit services.
Best-practice bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship are in place in 68 countries, protecting just over 25% of people globally.
The report says comprehensive smoke-free environments exist in 79 countries, now covering one-third of the global population.
Recent legislative progress has been recorded in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, and Uzbekistan, among others.
The report also highlights inconsistent momentum in mass media campaigns, adding that while 110 countries have not run anti-tobacco messaging since 2022, 36% of the world’s population is now reached by best-practice campaigns, nearly doubling from 19% two years earlier.
Also, a growing spotlight has turned to e-cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
WHO further notes that by 2024, 133 countries had introduced bans or regulations, up from 122 in 2022.
But so far, more than 60 countries still lack any form of regulation, exposing populations, particularly youth, to unregulated risks.
Marking 20 years since the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the report comes with renewed calls to action.
The agency says it is urging governments to bridge enforcement gaps, expand access to cessation support, and implement data-driven communication campaigns.
The launch coincided with the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control, recognising governmental and NGO efforts in this space.
The WHO, in conclusion, reaffirmed its commitment to fight tobacco-related harm by uniting scientific evidence, policy action, and political resolve.
It also says that with over 1.3 million deaths annually from second-hand smoke alone, the message remains clear: complacency is not an option.
