The scale of tobacco’s devastation of human health is shocking. The tobacco industry continues to aggressively promote the use of tobacco products and to conceal the dangers of tobacco use. But, we are fighting back to help prevent this ongoing devastation. We can prevent the daily deaths (more than 19 000) caused by tobacco use or second-hand smoke. By uniting, we can save lives and defeat tobacco, which is inherently harmful in all its forms.
WHO and its partners has developed technical packages to support countries in their efforts to limit tobacco use and so contain this cardiovascular disease epidemic at national and regional levels.
Countries need to:
fully implement these technical packages which together constitute the Global Hearts Initiative to scale up prevention and control of cardiovascular disease and includes:
MPOWER, a set of six practical, affordable and achievable measures to help countries implement specific provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and so reduce demand for tobacco;
SHAKE, a new set of evidence-backed policy options and examples to support governments in lowering consumption of salt among their populations; and
HEARTS, a technical package that gives countries the tools to incorporate best practices in cardiovascular disease management at the primary health care level to reduce risk factors such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
Countries and civil society need to:
take all possible action and make every effort to control tobacco use and raise public awareness of the link between tobacco use and heart disease.
combat tobacco industry interference in political processes, in turn leading to stronger national tobacco control action.
Public and partners need to:
participate in national, regional and global efforts to develop and implement strategies and plans and achieve goals that prioritize action on tobacco control.
Individuals need to:
contribute to making a tobacco-free world, either by committing to never taking up tobacco products, or by quitting the habit.
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
MPOWER: technical package to defeat the global tobacco epidemic
SHAKE: technical package for salt reduction
HEARTS: technical package for cardiovascular disease management in primary health care