Global smoking prevalence has declined but is increasing among adolescents

According to the seventh edition of the Tobacco Atlas[1], published May 18 by Vital Strategies and the Tobacconomics team at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) for the first time, the global smoking rate has declined from 22.6 % in 2007 to 19.6 % in 2019. But with industry marketing practices intensifying in some countries with little or no comprehensive tobacco control measures, tobacco use is on the rise in Africa and among adolescents.

This Atlas brings together up-to-date global and national data from 163 countries to provide a comprehensive and accurate picture of the consumption of nicotine-containing products (tobacco and vaping products), tobacco control and tobacco industry activities.

More and more people around the world are protected by tobacco control policies, including tax increases, smoke-free spaces, advertising bans and prevention campaigns. However, according to the latest Tobacco Atlas assessment, these efforts should be strengthened to cope with the activities of an industry whose gross profits reached $60 billion in 2020.

Smoking remains a leading cause of premature death and disease worldwide

For the first time, global tobacco use has declined, but with 1.1 billion smokers worldwide and an additional 200 million people using other tobacco products. However, tobacco use remains a global epidemic and a leading cause of premature death and disease. It also represents a structural barrier to development. Finally, despite this overall decline, prevalence is increasing in at least 10 African countries.

The data also cover the consequences of smoking, primarily mortality, which accounted for nearly 8.7 million deaths worldwide in 2019. Most deaths were attributable to smoking, but 1.3 million were due to exposure to second-hand smoke. While more than half of deaths currently occur in high-income countries, the trend could reverse if cigarette consumption continues to rise in low-income regions. The economic damage is estimated at around $2 trillion each year.

Increase in tobacco use among adolescents aged 13 to 15

Tobacco use among adolescents aged 13 to 15 (girls and/or boys) has increased in 63 of the 135 countries studied, and today more than 50 million young people in this age group use tobacco and nicotine products. Currently, countries with the highest prevalence of youth smoking tend to have lower Human Development Index (HDI) scores.

According to the report, the worsening situation can be explained by the tobacco industry's targeting of countries with a lower HDI, where regulations are weaker. They deploy a strong promotion of their new products in these previously untapped markets, particularly via social networks. To reach young people, the industry uses influencers active on very popular networks who do not always indicate their links with tobacco companies. These create buzz around new products such as heated tobacco products or vaping products, which represent an increasing share of the profits of the major tobacco companies.

The report adds that given the constant evolution of the industry's marketing practices, and in particular the fact that young people are important targets, it is essential to systematically monitor these practices and to strengthen the implementation of the advertising restrictions provided for in the FCTC.

Keywords: Tobacco Atlas, prevalence, tobacco consumption, smoking, adolescents, new products, health

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