NCDA statement to the WHO report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025
23rd June 2025
Alison Cox, NCDA Policy and Advocacy Director, speaking at a workshop at WCTC 2025 in Dublin ©International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
For Immediate Release
Monday June 23, 2025, Dublin/Geneva
Statement by Alison Cox, Director of Policy and Advocacy, NCD Alliance
On
WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2025: warning about the dangers of tobacco
“The NCD Alliance welcomes the significant progress being made on tobacco control outlined in the WHO´s new report but it`s clear that there is a long way to go if we are to reduce the many unnecessary tobacco related illnesses and premature deaths still occurring globally”, said Alison Cox, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the NCD Alliance.
“Raising taxes is one of the most effective measures, that offers governments a triple win of reducing tobacco consumption, saving lives and healthcare costs, while raising much needed revenue. So, it is a concern raised in the Report that there is reluctance by so many countries (134) to make the price of cigarettes less affordable. It´s why the NCD Alliance has been so vocal around ensuring that tobacco taxes - and other taxes around alcohol and ultra processed food - are front and centre of the Political Declaration on NCDS to be adopted at the UN General Assembly in New York this coming September.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, warning that action is needed to maintain and accelerate progress in tobacco control as rising industry interference challenges tobacco policies and control efforts.
The report focuses on the six proven WHO MPOWER tobacco control measures to reduce tobacco use, which claims over 7 million lives a year:
- Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies;
- Protecting people from tobacco smoke with smoke-free air legislation;
- Offering help to quit tobacco use;
- Warning about the dangers of tobacco with pack labels and mass media;
- Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and
- Raising taxes on tobacco.
About the NCD Alliance:
The NCD Alliance (NCDA) is a registered non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Geneva, Switzerland, dedicated to supporting a world free from preventable suffering, disability and death caused by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Founded in 2009, NCDA brings together a unique network of over 500 members in more than 100 countries into a respected, united and credible global civil society movement. The movement is unified by the cross-cutting nature of common risk factors including unhealthy diets, alcohol, tobacco, air pollution and physical inactivity, and the system solutions for chronic NCDs such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, mental health and neurological disorders.
Further information:
Michael Kessler
NCD Alliance Media Relations
Mob: +34 655 792 699
Email: [email protected]