…but WHO says more needed to protect people from heart diseases

TOBACCO use has declined markedly since 2000, both globally and in the Region of the Americas, but the reduction is insufficient to meet global targets aimed at protecting people from death and suffering from cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

The body also said that worldwide, about 7%, or just over 24 million children aged 13–15, smoke cigarettes (17 million boys and 7 million girls). About 4% of children aged 13–15 years (13 million) use smokeless tobacco products. In the Region of the Americas, about 10% or 4.6 million children aged 13–15, smoke cigarettes (2.4 million boys and 2.2 million girls). About 2% of children aged 13–15 years (1.2 million) use smokeless tobacco products.

Currently, over a third of countries in the Americas are not implementing a single tobacco control measure. Thursday was observed as World No Tobacco Day 2018 and WHO joined with the World Heart Federation and many other allies to raise awareness on the link between tobacco smoking and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are the world’s leading causes of death.

In a release, WHO said CVD are responsible for 44% of all NCD deaths, or 17.9 million deaths annually in the world, including 2 million deaths in the Americas. According to the body, tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure are the major causes of CVD, including heart attacks and stroke, contributing to approximately 3 million deaths per year globally. But evidence shows there is an alarming lack of knowledge and awareness that tobacco is a major risk for conditions like stroke and heart attack.

“Political leaders must do more to raise awareness and protect people from the harms of tobacco,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I urge them to join the global movement to promote health and protect people from avoidable suffering and deaths, especially from tobacco use.”

In order to reduce premature deaths caused by tobacco, Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), says governments must urgently implement the measures outlined in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). “Higher tobacco taxes, bans on tobacco advertising and promotion, smoke free environments in all public and work places, and large and graphic health warnings on tobacco packages can all help improve health.”

In its Global Report on Prevalence of Tobacco Use (2000-2025), WHO said tobacco kills over 7 million people each year, despite the steady reduction in tobacco use globally. The report shows the pace of action in reducing tobacco demand and related death and disease is too slow and not keeping up with global and national commitments to control tobacco use. The report also shows that the target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025 among people aged 15 and older is not on track to being met at the global level, with the current pace of decline indicating only a 22% reduction by that time. The Region of the Americas is the only exception; the current projections indicate that the target will be reached by 2025.

Heart diseases
In the region of the Americas, tobacco is responsible for 900,000 deaths per year, including 72,000 premature deaths caused by second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke, and associated with 11% of the deaths caused by CVD. The WHO FCTC, which came into force in 2005, calls on its parties to take several measures to reduce demand and supply for tobacco products. These interventions include protecting people from exposure to tobacco smoke; banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; banning sales to minors; requiring health warnings on tobacco packaging; promoting tobacco cessation, and increasing tobacco taxes. “There is compelling evidence from countries that have implemented tobacco reduction measures that results can be seen quickly,” says Dr. Adriana Blanco, Unit Chief of Risk Factors and Nutrition for the Department of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health at PAHO. “You do not have to wait 10 years to see the impact on a population’s health, especially in relation to cardiovascular diseases. This is why it is so important that countries accelerate the implementation of the FCTC.”