The number of smokers in the world is declining

Tobacco consumption is decreasing around the world, people have begun to give up cigarettes, reports the World Health Organization.

According to the WHO report, published January 16, says that despite the tobacco industry’s efforts to increase smoking rates, 150 countries are successfully reducing tobacco consumption. The organization calls for continued adherence to the policy of controlling its consumption. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 1.25 billion adult smokers in the world today:

“Trends for 2022 show a decline in tobacco consumption worldwide. Approximately 1 in 5 adults worldwide use tobacco, down from 1 in 3 in 2000.”

Brazil, for example, has achieved a reduction of 35% since 2010, and the Netherlands by almost 30%. Rüdiger Kretsch, head of WHO’s Department of Health Promotion, warns against complacency:

“I am amazed at the depths to which the tobacco industry stoops to make profits at the cost of countless lives. We see that the minute the government thinks it has won the fight against tobacco, the industry seizes the opportunity to manipulate health policy and sell its deadly products.”

The report notes that the largest number of smokers live in Southeast Asia – 26.5%. In the European region – 25.3% of the total population. However, tobacco use among women in the European region is more than double the global average and is falling much more slowly than in all other regions. The WHO report states:

“Although these numbers have been steadily decreasing for many years, by 2025 the world will achieve a relative reduction of tobacco use of 25%, short of the voluntary global target of a 30% reduction from the 2010 baseline. Only 56 countries in the world will achieve this goal , which is four countries less than the last report in 2021.”

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