The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a stark warning to the global community, revealing in its new report that tobacco use is responsible for the deaths of more than seven million people every year. This alarming statistic was a central finding of the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report, presented at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin. The report paints a picture of a world at a crossroads: while significant victories have been won in the fight against tobacco, the battle is far from over, with the tobacco industry’s influence and gaps in policy threatening to undo decades of progress.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of WHO, acknowledged the successes achieved in the 20 years since the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control but stressed the need for renewed vigilance and effort. He emphasized that the industry continues to adapt its tactics, requiring an equally adaptive and robust response from public health authorities.
The MPOWER Framework: A Blueprint for Success
At the core of the global strategy are the WHO’s six MPOWER measures, a set of cost-effective policies designed to help countries curb tobacco demand. According to the report, these measures have seen remarkable success. Today, over 6.1 billion people—roughly three-quarters of the world’s population—are now protected by at least one of these best-practice measures. This is a massive increase from just one billion people in 2007.
The six MPOWER measures are:
- Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies to understand the scale of the problem.
- Protecting people from tobacco smoke with comprehensive smoke-free laws in all indoor public spaces.
- Offering help to quit tobacco use through accessible and often cost-covered cessation services.
- Warning about the dangers of tobacco using large, graphic health warnings on packaging and running hard-hitting anti-tobacco media campaigns.
- Enforcing comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship to reduce the industry’s influence.
- Raising taxes on tobacco products to make them less affordable and discourage use, especially among young people.
Countries like Brazil, Türkiye, Mauritius, and the Netherlands have become global leaders by successfully implementing all six MPOWER measures at the highest level.
Global Progress and Persistent Gaps
The report highlights that graphic health warnings have been one of the most successful tools. By 2025, 110 countries have made such warnings mandatory, a huge leap from just nine countries in 2007. Furthermore, 25 countries have gone a step further by introducing plain packaging, which removes all branding and makes the product less appealing.
However, the report also sheds light on critical areas where progress has stalled. Tobacco taxation remains one of the most powerful but underused tools. Since 2022, only three countries have raised tobacco taxes to recommended levels, and a staggering 134 countries have failed to make cigarettes less affordable over time. This represents a massive missed opportunity to save lives and generate revenue for public health.
“By uniting science, policy and political will, we can create a world where tobacco no longer claims lives, damages economies or steals futures. Together, we can end the tobacco epidemic.”
Access to services to help people quit is another significant weakness. Only one-third of the global population has access to cost-covered quitting support. Similarly, while many countries have advertising bans, only 68 have adopted best-practice measures that comprehensively close all loopholes.
The Nigerian Context: A Heavy Local Burden
The global crisis has a severe local impact in Nigeria. A 2021 report revealed that nearly 30,000 tobacco-related deaths are recorded annually in the country. The study also highlighted that over 3.2 million Nigerians aged 15 and above are active smokers. The danger extends beyond smokers, as exposure to second-hand smoke in public places, workplaces, and homes continues to put non-smokers, including vulnerable children and women, at significant risk of developing deadly respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The Threat of Second-Hand Smoke and E-Cigarettes
The WHO report underscores the lethal impact of passive smoking, estimating that second-hand smoke kills approximately 1.3 million people globally each year. While 79 countries have introduced comprehensive smoke-free laws, this still leaves a large portion of the world’s population unprotected.
A new front in the battle is the rise of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as e-cigarettes. The report notes that regulation is increasing, with 133 countries having introduced some form of control by 2024. However, more than 60 countries still have no legal framework for ENDS control, allowing a new generation to become addicted to nicotine under the guise of a “safer” alternative.
Conclusion
The WHO’s 2025 report is a clear and urgent call to action. It celebrates the monumental progress made through the MPOWER framework, which has saved millions of lives and protected billions of people. Yet, it also serves as a sobering reminder that the tobacco epidemic is an evolving threat.
The failure of many nations to implement proven policies on taxation and cessation, combined with the rise of new products like e-cigarettes, means the fight is far from over. As emphasized by global health leaders, only through sustained political will and a united front against industry tactics can the world hope to finally end the devastation caused by tobacco.
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