Second-Hand Smoke Responsible for 1.3m Deaths Annually – WHO

A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that second-hand smoke causes approximately 1.3 million deaths each year. 

The data is part of the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report, presented at the World Conference on Tobacco Control held in Dublin.

The report warned that despite significant progress in tobacco regulation worldwide, interference by the tobacco industry continues to pose a threat to global control measures. 

It urged governments to intensify efforts to enforce anti-tobacco policies.

The report highlights WHO’s MPOWER strategy, which outlines six evidence-based approaches to curb tobacco use and reduce its devastating health impact. 

These include monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies, implementing smoke-free environments, offering support to quit tobacco, placing health warnings on tobacco products, banning advertising and sponsorship, and increasing tobacco taxes.

According to the report, 79 countries have enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws, protecting about one-third of the world’s population. 

Since 2022, six more countries—Cook Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Uzbekistan—have passed strong anti-smoking legislation, despite pressure from the tobacco industry, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Since 2007, 155 nations have adopted at least one of the MPOWER measures at a high standard. 

As of now, over 6.1 billion people—or roughly 75% of the global population—are covered by at least one of these policies, a massive leap from just one billion people in 2007.

Brazil, Mauritius, the Netherlands, and Türkiye are the only countries that have fully implemented all six MPOWER strategies.

Meanwhile, seven other nations—Ethiopia, Ireland, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, and Spain—are only one step away from full adoption.

However, significant gaps remain. Forty countries have yet to implement any MPOWER measure at the best-practice level, and over 30 countries still allow the sale of cigarettes without health warnings.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, emphasized the need for renewed commitment.

“Twenty years after the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we’ve achieved major milestones. But as the tobacco industry evolves, so must we,” he said. “By combining science, policy, and political will, we can eliminate tobacco as a threat to public health.”

The report, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, was launched during the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control. 

The event recognised the efforts of governments and organizations making strides in reducing tobacco consumption.

Michael Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Non-communicable Diseases and Injuries, noted that although much progress has been made since his foundation began supporting global tobacco control in 2007, more work is still needed.

One of the most impactful developments highlighted in the report is the widespread adoption of graphic health warnings on tobacco products, which have proven to be effective in educating the public about the dangers of smoking. 

However, WHO cautioned that enforcement remains uneven, and packaging of smokeless tobacco products continues to lack regulation in many regions.

The report is complemented by a new data portal tracking global tobacco control progress between 2007 and 2025. 

Alarmingly, 110 countries have not run any anti-tobacco campaigns since 2022. Nevertheless, 36% of the global population now lives in countries with strong public health campaigns, a significant rise from 19% in 2022.

Dr Ruediger Krech, WHO’s Director of Health Promotion, called on governments to act decisively. 

“We must close the remaining gaps, improve enforcement, and invest in tested and effective communication campaigns. WHO urges every country to accelerate progress and ensure no one is left behind in the fight against tobacco.”