WASHINGTON, United States (CMC)— The region of the Americas, including the Caribbean, recorded the steepest decline in tobacco use as the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the number of tobacco users continues to decrease globally, going from 1.32 billion in 2015 to 1.30 billion last year.

According to the fourth WHO global tobacco trends report released on Tuesday, that number is expected to continue to drop to 1.27 billion by 2025.

It said 60 countries are now on track to achieving the voluntary global target of a 30 per cent reduction by 2025, an increase from two years ago when only 32 countries were on course.

The report notes that of all WHO regions, the steepest decline is in the Americas, where the average user rate dropped from 21 per cent in 2010 to 16 per cent last year.

In Africa, the rate fell from 15 per cent to 10 per cent and the continent continues to have the lowest numbers, while in Europe, 18 per cent of women still use tobacco, substantially more than in any other WHO region, while all others are on track to reduce women’s usage rates by at least 30 per cent by 2025.

Although South-East Asia has the highest rates, with around 432 million users or 29 per cent of its population, it is also the region in which the numbers are declining fastest.  The Western Pacific is projected to become the region with the highest use among men, with indications showing that more than 45 per cent will still be using tobacco in 2025.

According to WHO, tobacco kills more than eight million people annually, over seven million of whom die as a direct result of smoking tobacco, while around 1.2 million others from second-hand smoke.

WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the decline in tobacco use is very encouraging, but more work must be done.

“We still have a long way to go, and tobacco companies will continue to use every trick in the book to defend the gigantic profits they make from peddling their deadly wares,” Tedros said.

According to WHO, recent evidence shows that the tobacco industry used the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to build influence with governments in 80 States.

The report urges member states to accelerate the implementation of the measures outlined in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

A newly released WHO Global Investment Case for Tobacco Cessation also makes the case for investing in cessation interventions.

According to the report, contributing US$1.68 per capita each year to national toll-free quitlines, SMS-based support, and other interventions could help 152 million tobacco users successfully quit by 2030.