Smoking and strategies of the World Health Organization
Currently, smoking constitutes the first cause of preventable mortality in the world. OPS estimates indicate that only in the region of the Americas there are 122 million smokers, of which at least one million dies annually, either due to active or passive consumption.
WHO estimates, that tobacco reduces life expectancy at least in 10 years and is a predisposing factor of noncommunicable diseases (ENT); In fact, 16% of smokers die from cardiovascular diseases, 25% of cancer and more than half due to chronic respiratory diseases.
Therefore, since 2003, the WHO frame agreement for tobacco control (CMCT WHO) was created, which consists of an organized strategy and aimed at reducing tobacco consumption by attacking the problem from several fronts, not only restricting the Promotion and sponsorship, but with the increase in tax.
WHO strategy
In this context, during 2007 a package of measures called MPOWER was launched, which together constitute an effective instrument to help countries apply the necessary measures to achieve reduction in tobacco consumption:
- Monitor (m): monitor tobacco consumption and prevention policies.
- Protect (P): Protect the population from tobacco smoke.
- Offer (O): Offer help to leave tobacco.
- Warn (W): warn of tobacco dangers.
- Enforce (e): enforce prohibitions on advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
- RAICE (R): Increase tobacco taxes.
The results have been quite encouraging, since at this time approximately 65% of the world’s population is protected by at least one of the measures, however it is not enough. In fact, in the WHO report on the 2019 World Smoking Epidemic. And, the objectives will not be achieved unless current consumers quit smoking, so countries urge institutions and programs to leave the smoking habit.
Current challenges
The year 2020 has represented a challenge in itself for WHO, since controlling Pandemia by COVID-19 has been an arduous task that is still far from finishing. Therefore, the fight against smoking has taken a special relevance since it is a causal agent of some of the entities in greater risk of serious complications if they contract the SARS-COV-2 virus.
Consequently, PAHO has promoted 2 online training programs within the framework of Pandemia, aimed at the region’s health authorities. The first is an online training: promoting Mpower measures in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the second is a cycle of virtual conferences on COVID-19, tobacco and other factors such as the effect of electronic cigarettes on the health and other topics of interest.
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