Tobacco Free Month, starting November 1, 2019, provides a critical opportunity to evaluate worldwide tobacco consumption trends.
Drawing from World Health Organization (WHO) data, more than a billion people use tobacco products globally. Alarmingly, nearly half of users die from related causes. Between 2000 and 2016, the global smoking rate fell from 27% to 20%—a 7% drop. The WHO's ambitious goal is a 30% reduction by 2025, but current trajectories make this unlikely. Youth use remains a major concern: 11% of 13- to 15-year-olds, or about 37 million children, consume tobacco.
Positive trends offer hope. Among men aged 15+, smoking prevalence dropped from 43% in 2000 to 34% in 2015. For women, it declined from 11% to 6% over the same period. Nations investing in quit-smoking initiatives have seen reductions, yet only 12.5% are on track to meet the 30% target by 2025.
The WHO estimates 80% of smokers reside in low- and middle-income countries. Compounding this, 25% of countries lack adequate data to monitor tobacco trends and impacts.
To accelerate change, the WHO pushes for robust measures like advertising bans, excise taxes, and plain packaging. It calls for unified global action against the tobacco industry. Even as e-cigarettes spark debate, traditional tobacco claims roughly 8 million lives yearly.
Related Articles:
