Saima Wazed’s urgent call to address tobacco consumption and the rising e-cigarette trend in Southeast Asia highlights a critical health challenge
Saima Wazed, WHO‘s Regional Director for Southeast Asia, is urging nations in the region to address the persistent issue of tobacco consumption and the rising trend of e-cigarette use. Despite a decline in tobacco usage over time, the region still faces the highest consumption rates globally, with vaping becoming increasingly common. Wazed emphasized the critical need for immediate action to prevent life-threatening diseases associated with tobacco and to curb the growing use of e-cigarettes.
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Although there has been progressing in reducing tobacco use, approximately 411 million people in the region still use tobacco, posing a significant health challenge. Additionally, there is a considerable number of smokeless tobacco and adolescent tobacco users. The surge in e-cigarette usage, especially among young people, presents a new health threat.
“The region still has the highest number of people using tobacco which puts them at risk of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, respiratory, and heart disease. Urgent measures are also needed to control e-cigarettes, which have not been proven to be effective for smoking cessation. We must do all we can to control tobacco and e-cigarette use to protect health and save lives.”
– Saima Wazed, WHO’s Regional Director for South-East Asia
Different countries in the region have adopted various strategies to combat tobacco use, including setting tobacco-free goals and implementing bans on e-cigarettes. Despite facing obstacles, there have been notable achievements in tobacco control, with significant reductions in both male and female tobacco use.
Countries are utilizing measures from the WHO MPOWER package to address tobacco use, but there is a pressing need for stronger enforcement of tobacco control laws and policies due to interference from the tobacco industry. This is crucial for safeguarding the health and well-being of the region’s population, which exceeds 2 billion people.
Global Tobacco Trends: Latest Insights
According to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) tobacco trends report released on 16th January 2024, there are approximately 1.25 billion adult tobacco users globally. The latest trends indicate a continuous decline in tobacco usage rates worldwide, with around 1 in 5 adults currently using tobacco compared to 1 in 3 in the year 2000. The report highlights successful efforts in reducing tobacco use across 150 countries, notably in Brazil and the Netherlands, where the implementation of MPOWER tobacco control measures has led to a relative reduction of 35% and near attainment of the 30% target, respectively, since 2010.
Currently, the WHO Southeast Asian Region has the highest tobacco usage rate at 26.5%, closely followed by the European Region at 25.3%. The report predicts that by 2030, the WHO European Region will have the highest tobacco usage rates globally, with prevalence slightly exceeding 23%. Additionally, tobacco usage rates among women in the WHO European region remain disproportionately high compared to the global average and are decreasing at a slower pace.
While global tobacco usage rates have been declining steadily, the world is expected to fall short of achieving a 25% relative reduction in tobacco use by 2025, missing the voluntary global goal of a 30% reduction from the 2010 baseline. Only 56 countries are projected to achieve this goal, down four from the previous report in 2021.
Despite efforts, tobacco usage rates have remained stagnant since 2010 in some countries, with six countries experiencing an increase in tobacco use: Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Oman, and the Republic of Moldova.
Tobacco Market Trends
In 2024, global revenue in the Smoking Tobacco market stands at US$61.8 billion, with a projected annual growth rate of 4.00% (CAGR 2024-2028). China leads globally, generating the highest revenue of US$13,510 million in 2024. Per capita revenue in 2024 reaches US$9.48. Looking ahead, the market’s volume is anticipated to hit 311.6 million kilograms by 2028, with a 0.5% volume growth projected for 2025. The average volume per person in 2024 is estimated to be 46.7 kilograms. Over the past decade, global smoking tobacco consumption has steadily declined due to heightened awareness of health risks and more stringent tobacco regulations.
Tobacco Consumption Scenario in South-East Asia
Despite a decrease in tobacco use in the WHO South-East Asia Region from 68.9% in 2000 to approximately 43.7% in 2022, an estimated 411 million individuals in the Region still use tobacco, according to the latest data released this year. Within the Region, there are 280 million users of smokeless tobacco, representing almost 77% of global smokeless tobacco users, and approximately 11 million adolescents aged 13-15 who use tobacco, constituting nearly 30% of the global total.
The prevalence of e-cigarette use, particularly among young people, is rising in numerous countries, with concurrent use of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes being prevalent. Thailand, which has been monitoring e-cigarette usage, reported a significant increase in usage among school-aged children aged 13 to 15, from 3.3% in 2015 to 17.6% in 2022.
The Regional Director affirmed WHO’s dedication to supporting policies aimed at combatting the interference of the tobacco and e-cigarette industries to safeguard the health of over 2 billion individuals in the Region. While e-cigarettes are prohibited in DPR Korea, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, the Maldives regulates them as tobacco products.
Throughout the years, countries in the Region have made notable strides in combating tobacco use. Among men, tobacco use decreased from 68.9% in 2000 to 43.7% in 2022, and among women, from 33.5% in 2000 to 9.4% in 2022, the most significant decline among all WHO Regions.
The Region, along with the WHO African Region, is progressing towards achieving the NCD 2025 target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025. India and Nepal are poised to achieve the NCD target of at least a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025, while eight other countries are anticipated to record declines, albeit less than 30%. While Bangladesh aims for a “Tobacco Free Bangladesh by 2040,” India has launched the “Tobacco Endgame” initiative.
Countries in the Region are implementing demand reduction strategies as outlined in the WHO MPOWER package and other tobacco control initiatives. Given the substantial interference from the tobacco industry, more decisive actions are imperative to enforce tobacco control laws and policies.
Bangladesh Tobacco Consumption Trends
According to WHO, the prevalence of tobacco use in Bangladesh is concerning, with 35% of adults currently utilizing tobacco in smoked and smokeless forms, alongside alarming rates of secondhand smoke exposure at workplaces (43%) and homes (39%). Additionally, 7% of youth aged 13 to 15 are tobacco users. The WHO extends technical assistance for the execution of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Bangladesh, focusing particularly on areas such as tobacco taxation, policy formulation, legislative enforcement, and surveillance of tobacco consumption.
Tobacco Control Steps of Bangladesh
Implementation of Tobacco Control Policies: Bangladesh has enacted stringent laws to regulate tobacco consumption, including bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
Tobacco Taxation: The government has increased tobacco taxes to discourage consumption and generate revenue for tobacco control programs.
Smoke-Free Public Spaces: Bangladesh has enforced smoke-free laws in public places, including educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and transportation hubs.
Awareness Campaigns: Extensive public awareness campaigns have been conducted to educate citizens about the harmful effects of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.
Youth Tobacco Prevention: Initiatives targeting youth, such as educational programs and tobacco-free school policies, aim to prevent tobacco initiation among adolescents.
WHO Collaboration: Bangladesh collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) for technical support and guidance in implementing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Surveillance and Monitoring: Regular surveillance and monitoring of tobacco use are conducted to track trends and inform policy interventions.
In conclusion, Saima Wazed’s urgent call to address tobacco consumption and the rising e-cigarette trend in Southeast Asia highlights a critical health challenge. Despite progress, persistent high usage rates and emerging threats necessitate immediate, concerted efforts from nations, reinforced by stringent enforcement of tobacco control measures to safeguard public health in the region.
