Overview
Tobacco kills more than 3 million people a year in the Western Pacific Region. Tobacco’s toll on the health of the population in the Region translates into significant health-care costs, a considerable burden on health systems and productivity losses, therefore hampers economic growth. Tobacco industry interference, combined with aggressive marketing of novel tobacco products (e.g. heated tobacco products) and electronic nicotine delivery systems, hinders the implementation of evidence-based tobacco control measures and threatens to reverse hard-won public health gains against traditional tobacco products. The Regional Action Plan for Tobacco Control in the Western Pacific (2020-2030) presents an updated and robust road map for countries and areas in the Region to take definitive strategic action to achieve global tobacco control goals and counteract a shared threat to health, longevity and prosperity across the Western Pacific Region.