Global tobacco use fallen in last two decades: WHO Report.

ISLAMABAD -- World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday claimed that during past two decades, overall global tobacco use has fallen, from 1.397 billion in 2000 to 1.337 billion in 2018, or by approximately 60 million people.

According to the WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025 third edition, this has been largely driven by reductions in the number of females using these products which was 346 million in 2000 down to 244 million in 2018, or a fall over around 100 million.

It said that over the same period, male tobacco use had risen by around 40 million, from 1.050 billion in 2000 to 1.093 billion in 2018 or 82% of the world's current 1.337 billion tobacco users.

But positively, the new report shows that the number of male tobacco users has stopped growing and is projected to decline by more than one million fewer male users come 2020 (or 1.091 billion) compared to 2018 levels, and five million less by 2025 (1.087 billion).

By 2020, WHO projects there will be 10 million fewer tobacco users, male and female, compared to 2018, and another 27 million less by 2025, amounting to 1.299 billion. Some 60% of countries have been experiencing a decline in tobacco use since 2010.

'Reductions in global tobacco use demonstrate that when governments introduce and strengthen their comprehensive evidence-based actions, they can protect the well-being of their citizens and communities,' said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO.

Despite such gains, progress in meeting the global target set by governments to cut tobacco use by 30% by 2025 remains off track. Based on current progress, a 23% reduction will be achieved by 2025 while only 32 countries are currently on track to reach the 30% reduction target.

However, the projected decline in tobacco use among males, who represent the overwhelming majority of tobacco users, can be built on and used to accelerate efforts to reach to the global target, said Dr Vinayak Prasad, head of WHO's tobacco...

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