WHO Reports Major Gains in Global Tobacco Control, but Warns of Ongoing Challenges

Dublin, June 23, 2025 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its latest Global Tobacco Epidemic report, revealing that over 6.1 billion people—three-quarters of the world’s population—are now protected by at least one best-practice tobacco control policy. This marks a significant increase from just 1 billion people in 2007, when the WHO first launched its MPOWER measures to combat tobacco use.

The MPOWER package, which stands for Monitoring, Protecting, Offering help to quit, Warning about dangers, Enforcing bans on advertising, and Raising taxes on tobacco, has been implemented at best-practice levels by 155 countries. Four nations—Brazil, Mauritius, the Netherlands, and Türkiye—have fully adopted all six measures, setting a global benchmark for tobacco control. Seven others—Ethiopia, Ireland, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, and Spain—are just one measure away from full implementation.

Despite these advances, the WHO warns that progress is threatened by persistent industry interference and inconsistent enforcement. Forty countries still lack any best-practice MPOWER measures, and more than 30 allow cigarette sales without mandatory health warnings. Enforcement remains patchy, especially for smokeless tobacco, and 110 countries have not run anti-tobacco campaigns since 2022. However, 36% of the global population now lives in countries with best-practice campaigns—up from 19% in 20221.

The report highlights that 110 countries now require graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, up from just 9 in 2007, protecting 62% of the world’s population. Twenty-five countries have adopted plain packaging laws. On the regulatory front, the number of countries regulating or banning electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has grown from 122 in 2022 to 133 in 2024, though over 60 countries still have no ENDS regulations.

Taxation and cessation services are expanding, but gaps remain: 134 countries have failed to make cigarettes less affordable, and only 33% of people globally have access to cost-covered quit services. Best-practice advertising bans are in place in 68 countries, covering over 25% of the global population. Meanwhile, 79 countries now have comprehensive smoke-free laws, protecting one-third of the world’s people.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, called for continued action: “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.” Dr. Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion, urged governments to “act boldly to close remaining gaps, strengthen enforcement, and invest in the proven tools that save lives”.

The report was launched at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, which also recognized governments and NGOs for their progress in reducing tobacco use.

Disclaimer:
This news article is based on information from the World Health Organization’s Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report. While every effort has been made to accurately represent the facts, the article is intended for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or policy advice. For official guidance, please refer to the original WHO report and consult relevant authorities1.