Tobacco Control Now Protects 6.1 Billion Globally

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The World Health Organization has released the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025, showing major gains and new challenges in global tobacco control.

Released June 23 at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, the report focuses on the six MPOWER measures proven to curb tobacco use, which claims over 7 million lives a year.

MPOWER package includes:

• Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies;
• Protecting people from tobacco smoke with smoke-free air legislation;
• Offering help to quit tobacco use;
• Warning about the dangers of tobacco with pack labels and mass media;
• Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and
• Raising taxes on tobacco.

Since 2007, 155 countries have implemented at least one MPOWER measure at best-practice level.

Today, more than 6.1 billion people—roughly three-quarters of the global population—are covered by at least one such policy, up from 1 billion in 2007.

Four countries—Brazil, Mauritius, the Netherlands, and Türkiye—have implemented the full MPOWER package.

Seven countries, including Ethiopia, Ireland, and New Zealand, are one measure away from full implementation.

However, 40 countries still have no MPOWER measure at best-practice level, and more than 30 permit cigarette sales without mandatory health warnings.

The report highlights that 110 countries now require graphic health warnings on tobacco packs, up from just 9 in 2007, covering 62 percent of the global population.

Additionally, 25 countries have adopted plain packaging.

WHO warns that enforcement is inconsistent and smokeless tobacco packaging remains poorly regulated.

The new report is accompanied by a new data portal that tracks country-by-country progress between 2007–2025.

Despite their proven effectiveness, 110 countries have not run anti-tobacco campaigns since 2022, though 36 percent of the global population now lives in countries with best-practice campaigns – up from 19 percent in 2022.

Taxation remains weak: 134 countries have failed to make cigarettes less affordable, and only three have raised taxes to best-practice levels since 2022.

Quit services are available to only 33 percent of the global population, while best-practice advertising bans exist in 68 countries, covering over 25 percent of people globally.

Second-hand smoke still kills an estimated 1.3 million people each year, prompting 79 countries to enact comprehensive smoke-free laws covering one-third of the world’s population.

From 2022 to 2024, regulation or bans of e-cigarettes and other ENDS grew from 122 to 133 countries, though over 60 have no ENDS regulation.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “Twenty years since the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we have many successes to celebrate, but the tobacco industry continues to evolve and so must we.”

He added: “By uniting science, policy and political will, we can create a world where tobacco no longer claims lives, damages economies or steals futures. Together, we can end the tobacco epidemic.”

Michael R. Bloomberg reflected on the impact of Bloomberg Philanthropies: “Since Bloomberg Philanthropies started supporting global tobacco control efforts in 2007, there has been a sea change in the way countries prevent tobacco use, but there is still a long way to go.”

“Bloomberg Philanthropies remains fully committed to WHO’s urgent work – and to saving millions more lives together.”

Dr. Ruediger Krech, WHO’s Director of Health Promotion, warned: “Governments must act boldly to close remaining gaps, strengthen enforcement, and invest in the proven tools that save lives. WHO calls on all countries to accelerate progress on MPOWER and ensure that no one is left behind in the fight against tobacco.”

Health experts underscore growing industry interference and the rise of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches targeting youth.

Industry influence has flooded markets with flavored products and aggressive marketing that threaten policy implementation.

The MPOWER measures remain a proven and cost-effective framework, yet the report emphasizes that progress must continue and accelerate.

The Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report and its new data portal—covering progress from 2007 to 2025—provide tools and accountability mechanisms to track national efforts.

With tobacco causing over 7 million deaths annually, WHO’s message is clear: momentum must be sustained and strengthened to protect billions and advance global health.