ঢাকারবিবার , ১৪ জুন ২০২৬
Dublin – In a powerful opening statement at a global high-level event on tobacco control, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), commended Ireland for its historic and ongoing leadership in the fight against tobacco, while issuing a clear call to governments worldwide to intensify their efforts to curb tobacco use and counter the aggressive tactics of the tobacco industry.
“I want to thank the Taoiseach and the Government of Ireland for hosting this event and for their leadership both at home and abroad,” Dr. Tedros said. “Ireland was the first country in the world to make all indoor public spaces smoke-free back in 2004—and now stands on the verge of achieving the highest level of tobacco control implementation in the WHO European Region, alongside the Netherlands.”
He pointed to one remaining gap: the need for a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, expressing optimism that Ireland would soon close that final loophole.
“Tobacco kills—no matter how it’s packaged,” Dr. Tedros said. “It remains one of the greatest public health threats of our time, killing over 8.3 million people annually, including 1.3 million from secondhand smoke.”
He warned that new and emerging nicotine and tobacco products, aggressively marketed to children and young people, were part of a “broader industry strategy to profit from addiction, disease, and death.” He stressed that regulatory vigilance on e-cigarettes and similar products must be accompanied by intensified action on conventional tobacco.
Progress and Challenges
Since the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into force 20 years ago, smoking prevalence has fallen globally by one-third. The world now has 300 million fewer smokersthan it would have had without intervention.
Dr. Tedros noted that more countries than ever are now implementing the WHO’s MPOWER package at the highest level of best practices, and 56 countries are on track to reach a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025.
However, challenges remain, including rising tobacco use among women in the WHO European region**, the highest in the world. “This raises urgent questions about how the industry targets women through marketing—and what must be done in response,” he said.
Three Requests to Accelerate Progress
Dr. Tedros issued three clear calls to action:
1. To governments Commit to implementing at least one MPOWER measure at best-practice level in the next year—especially raising tobacco taxes, which reduce consumption and generate revenue for health.
2. To researchers Build the evidence base on the health impacts of new and emerging nicotine and tobacco products.
3. To regulators and legislators Take action against tobacco products designed to attract youth and children.
“We have the tools, we have the evidence, we have the global commitment and strong partners,” Dr. Tedros concluded. “Let us work together for a healthier, safer, tobacco-free world.”
