Tobacco use remains one of the gravest public health threats the world has ever faced, claiming over eight million lives annually. Of these, more than seven million deaths result from direct tobacco use, according to the Global Burden of Disease study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
For tackling the challenge of high tobacco consumption, health warnings are an effective way to help people quit tobacco use. In this context, knowing the key highlights of the World Health Organisation’s Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report, which focuses on measures to warn people about the harms of tobacco, becomes important.
Key Takeaways :
1. The Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report is developed by WHO with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. It focuses on six proven WHO MPOWER tobacco control measures to reduce tobacco use.
2. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and its guidelines provide the foundation for countries to implement and manage tobacco control. To help make this a reality, WHO introduced the MPOWER measures.
3. MPOWER measures are intended to assist in the country-level implementation of effective interventions to reduce the demand for tobacco, contained in the WHO FCTC. MPOWER measures are –
📌M– monitor tobacco use and prevention policies;
📌P– protect people from tobacco smoke;
📌O– offer help to quit tobacco;
📌W– warn about dangers of tobacco;
📌E– enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and
📌R– raise taxes on tobacco products.
4. A total of 110 countries now require these measures — up from just nine in 2007 — protecting 62 per cent of the global population; and 25 countries have adopted plain packaging.
Key Highlights of Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 Report
1. The 2025 report focuses on the W measure (warn about the dangers of tobacco) and shows that with 6.1 billion people protected by at least one MPOWER measure at best-practice level many countries continue to make progress in the fight against tobacco.
Health warnings and mass media campaigns work best when they are part of a comprehensive tobacco control strategy.-WHO
2. Four countries have now achieved the full MPOWER packaged while a further seven are only one measure away. At the same time 40 countries still have no MPOWER measure at best-practice level.
3. The report reveals that the most striking gains have been in graphic health warnings, one of the key measures under the WHO FCTC.
4. According to the report, India is among the countries identified as having best-practice-level graphic health warning labels in 2024.
5. Of all MPOWER measures, large graphic health warnings on cigarette packages have seen the most progress since 2007 – both in terms of the number of countries and population covered by a best-practice policy. Not only are more countries adopting graphic health warnings, but the average size of warnings has increased from 28 per cent in 2007 to almost 60 per cent in 2024.
India has achieved the highest status in O and W (both in 2016) and is in the second highest category of other measures, including M (mass media). Health warnings on cigarette packs are among the largest in the world at 85 per cent. Only 10 countries have a larger graphic health warning. – Dr Vinayak Mohan Prasad (head of the Global Tobacco Control Programme)
6. On the ˋW’ measure, India has been in the highest group since 2016. On the ‘E’ measure, India has banned direct and indirect tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorships
7. The WHO report also warned that action is needed to maintain and accelerate progress in tobacco control as rising industry interference challenges tobacco policies and control efforts.
8. Notably, Tobacco tax is least adopted MPOWER measure in India.
Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control
1. India is among the six countries that received 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control for prioritizing tobacco cessation approaches to reach a significant number of tobacco users in the country.
2. The National Tobacco Control Cell of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, was presented with the award at the World Conference on Tobacco Control held in Dublin, Ireland, on Monday (23rd June).
3. India was presented the ‘O’ category award for promoting tobacco cessation. Among the other countries that received the award were Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Philippines and Ukraine.
Measures taken by India to fight against Tobacco
1. India has implemented stringent measures to curb tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) across all forms of media, including television, radio, print and digital platforms.
2. To restrict depiction of tobacco use in entertainment media, the Centre introduced the Tobacco-Free Films and Television Rules in 2012, focusing on traditional platforms such as cinema and television.
3. As more people shift towards using digital streaming platforms, India recognized the need to update its tobacco control policies. Coinciding with World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2023, the government introduced an amendment to the 2012 legislation, extending its coverage to over-the-top streaming platforms. With this move, India became the first country in the world to apply tobacco control regulations specifically to digital streaming content.
4. The WHO report said that India is reinforcing its commitment to public health and positioning itself as a pioneer in adapting regulation to evolving media consumption trends. However, the current national TAPS ban can be further strengthened by prohibiting tobacco advertising at points of sale and fully banning tobacco industry sponsorship.
BEYOND THE NUGGET: Top 10 largest tobacco-producing countries
1. Despite widespread awareness of tobacco’s health risks, the raw tobacco industry continues to thrive. In 2022, an estimated 5.8 million tonnes of tobacco were produced globally, with China accounting for roughly one-third of this output, according to Statista.
2. In the same year, India and Brazil produced approximately 0.8 million and 0.7 million tonnes of unmanufactured tobacco respectively, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
3. The world’s top 10 largest Tobacco producing countries, as of 2023 are:
Post Read Questions
Consider the following statements:
1. The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2025 is “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.”
2. India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of unmanufactured tobacco.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(Sources: India conferred with Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control, Top 10 largest tobacco-producing countries: India ranks among top 3, India scores high in graphic health warnings, cessation bans: WHO report on global tobacco use)
Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨
The WHO Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report, developed with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, was launched at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control. (X/@WCTC_official) 
Share
