Overview
The Report on Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas, 2018 shows that tobacco control measures are having an impact on the reduction of tobacco consumption and stresses that 95.3% of the population of the Americas is covered by at least one tobacco control policy at its highest level of application according to the WHO criteria. However, it also shows that 12 countries have not yet implemented at least one of the measures at that level.
In this context, the report summarizes the progress reported up to December 31, 2017 in the six main measures for tobacco control prioritized by the MPOWER tool: monitor tobacco use and prevention policies (M)*, protect people from tobacco smoke (P), offer help to quit tobacco (O)*, warn about the dangers of tobacco (W), enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (E), and raise taxes on tobacco (R)**, thus providing a regional image that details not only advances, but those measures that need to be promoted.
The report also highlights the threat posed by tobacco industry interference, as well as the entry into the market of new tobacco products that present new and continuing challenges for the Region, and details the actions at the regional level that are being taken to address to these challenges, such as South-South cooperation, the strengthening of citizen advocacy, as well as the generation of studies and research with a regional focus to support the formulation of policies that ensure public health. Finally, the report details the regional commitments, such as the Strategy and Plan of Action to Strengthen Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas 2018-2022, adopted at the Pan American Sanitary Conference in September 2017, which aims to 100% smoke-free region in closed public and work places, and in public transport, and the inclusion of graphic, large health warnings, in the packaging of tobacco products in all the countries of the Region for the year 2022.
|
