COVID-19 Slowed Global Progress in Tobacco Control, Putting Millions at Risk – Report
LONDON, Nov 22 – The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant setback in global efforts to reduce tobacco use, according to a report published on Wednesday by the Global Tobacco Control Progress Hub. The analysis, conducted by the non-profit organization Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Canada and the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, highlighted a slowdown in the implementation of key measures aimed at curbing smoking rates. As a result, millions of people worldwide likely continued to smoke, putting their health at risk.
The report focused on the enactment of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a treaty designed to combat smoking globally. It revealed that between 2020 and 2022, there was a decline in the implementation of six core measures outlined in the treaty. These measures included tax increases on tobacco products, advertising and promotion bans, and rules banning smoking in public places.
Les Hagen, executive director of ASH Canada, expressed concern over the disturbing slowdown. He called on nations to intensify their efforts to prevent dire consequences for millions of people worldwide. Hagen emphasized that the drop in implementation could lead to prolonged smoking habits among individuals who would have otherwise quit.
The analysis, which relied on countries’ self-reporting to the WHO, found that two-thirds of nations reported either no improvement or a decline in the implementation of key tobacco control policies. Only one-third reported any improvement. Disturbingly, the largest declines were observed in low-income countries, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean and southeast Asian regions.
Hagen stressed the importance of the six key policies in reducing smoking rates when effectively executed. Failing to implement these measures has likely led to millions of people continuing to smoke and exposed them to the associated health risks.
According to the WHO, tobacco use is responsible for up to half of all deaths among smokers who do not quit. Therefore, the slowdown in tobacco control efforts is a significant cause for concern.
Another report released last week by STOP, a network of academic and public health organizations, and the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, indicated a deterioration in governments’ implementation of measures aimed at preventing tobacco industry interference in public policy.
As governments faced the immense challenges brought on by the pandemic, the progress in tobacco control took a backseat. However, the consequences of this slowdown can be severe, not only for individual smokers but also for public health on a global scale. It is now crucial for nations to prioritize tobacco control efforts and recommit to implementing the necessary measures to protect their populations from the harms of tobacco use.
