Since 2005, global tobacco use has dropped by one-third, with 118 million fewer smokers, according to WHO research. A key driver of this progress is the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), one of the most widely embraced UN treaties.
The FCTC, in effect for 20 years, regulates both tobacco supply and demand. With 183 parties covering 90% of the global population, it has led to major policy changes. Today, 138 countries require graphic health warnings on cigarette packs, dozens enforce plain packaging, 66 ban tobacco advertising, and over 25% of the world’s population benefits from smoke-free laws. Higher taxes also make tobacco less affordable while funding health initiatives.
In 2018, a legal protocol was introduced to combat illicit tobacco trade, which weakens control measures and fuels crime.
Despite this progress, tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death, linked to heart disease, cancer, stroke, and more. The industry, facing declining cigarette sales, now pushes e-cigarettes—misleadingly marketed as safer—while continuing to target young people.
Only 56 countries are on track to meet the goal of a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025. Still, cutting global smoking rates by one-third is a major public health victory.
