The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded a global health alarm, revealing that over 1.3 million non-smokers die every year due to exposure to second-hand smoke, according to its latest Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report.
Launched at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, the report highlights disturbing trends and gaps in global tobacco control. It warns that interference from tobacco companies continues to challenge progress despite decades of public health campaigns.
The report emphasizes the MPOWER strategy — a six-part approach by WHO which includes: Monitoring tobacco use, Protecting people from smoke, Offering help to quit, Warning through packaging/media, Enforcing bans, and Raising taxes.
According to the WHO, 79 countries have implemented full smoke-free laws. Six more nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Slovenia, have joined since 2022. However, 40 countries still lack even one best-practice MPOWER policy, while 30+ countries still allow cigarette sales without clear health warnings.
Since 2007, global adoption of these policies has risen, with 6.1 billion people now protected by at least one MPOWER measure, up from 1 billion in 2007. Four countries — Brazil, Mauritius, Netherlands, and Türkiye — have fully implemented the entire MPOWER package. Seven others are just one measure away.
Despite this progress, challenges remain. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus said, “The tobacco industry continues to evolve and so must we.” He added that united political will, science, and policy are essential to end the epidemic.
The report, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, was released during the Bloomberg Awards for Global Tobacco Control, which honored countries making significant progress. However, 110 nations have yet to run best-practice anti-tobacco campaigns since 2022.
The WHO urged governments to step up enforcement and invest in message-tested campaigns to combat the deadly tobacco industry tactics.
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