Twelve countries in the Americas do not take efficient measures to control tobacco
These nations do not apply even one of the measures established in the Framework Convention of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Tobacco Control. More than 2000 people die daily in the region as a direct consequence of tobacco use. The greatest progress is registered in the Caribbean.
Despite advances in the fight against smoking, more than a third of countries in the Americas have not put in place effective measures to control tobacco consumption, warned Tuesday the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
During the launch of its Regional Report on Tobacco Control in the Region, PAHO warned governments that they must redouble their efforts urgently to apply these standards.
The study highlights a 17% decrease in tobacco consumption at the regional level, a figure that is still below the world average of 20%.
If the countries of the region want to reach the goal of the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce a third of premature deaths due to smoking, it will be necessary to increase their efforts in applying tobacco control measures, underlines PAHO.
The director of the Unit of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health of PAHO, Anselm Hennis, recalled that more than 2,000 people die "every day in the Americas as a direct consequence of tobacco consumption" and added that the epidemic "It will continue unless countries accelerate the speed with which they implement effective policies."
The report highlights regional progress in relation to the measures set out in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control . The two norms that made the most progress were protection against exposure to tobacco smoke through 100% smoke-free environments, and mandatory health warnings on all packets of tobacco, in nineteen and eighteen nations respectively.
In fourteen countries, accessibility to tobacco-related products was reduced by increasing prices, but since 2016 only one has added measures to prohibit tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
The Caribbean leads the advances
According to PAHO, the subregion that made the most progress during the last two years was the Caribbean.
"We appreciate the recent efforts of the Caribbean to begin to implement effective tobacco control measures. We hope that this will show other countries in the subregion the long-term benefits that the measures will have on their economies and, more importantly, on the health of their population, "said Hennis.
The interference of the tobacco industry and the availability of new products in the market, supported by aggressive advertising campaigns to attract new consumers, constitute the main threats to implement tobacco control measures.
