Tobacco Asia

18 tobaccoasia Issue 5, 2023 September / October The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report on tobacco control, marking the 15th year since introducing its MPOWER anti- tobacco measures. In the report the agency com- mended the Netherlands and Mauritius for imple- menting all of the measures, joining Brazil and Turkey. Eight other countries, namely Ethiopia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, and Spain are only one measure away from joining that group. Aside from the above list of the least tobacco- friendly countries in the world, some more inter- esting details in the report include the following: Monitoring tobacco use Adults and adolescents in 73 countries are regular- ly surveyed about their tobacco use. Interestingly, the majority of these countries (41 out of 73) are high-income countries with comprehensive mon- itoring of tobacco use. Since the report says no low-income country had this level of monitoring in 2022, the remaining 32 surveyed countries must be middle-income with mid-level monitoring. Smoking prevalence The global average smoking prevalence went from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021, a relative reduction of 25% of 14 years. Relative reduction in average prevalence over 14 years was 24% in high- and middle-income countries and 28% for low-income countries. WHO says 76% of the world's smokers live in middle-income countries and 20% in high- income countries. Average smoking prevalence was highest in high-income countries with 21% of adults smoking, followed by 17% in middle-in- come countries and 10% in low-income countries. Global smoking prevalence among men went from 38% in 2007 to 29% in 2021, with relative re- duction at 23% over that period. Among women, the global smoking prevalence went from 8% in 2007 to 5% in 2021, a 35% relative reduction. Complete smoking bans WHO says in 2022, over a quarter of the world's population, or about 2.1 billion people, lived in the 74 countries where there were complete smok- ing bans in public places, workplaces, and public Staff Report The Global State of Tobacco Regulations, Bans, Smoking Rates The global average smoking prevalence went from 22.8% in 2007 to 17%.

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