Regional strategy for tobacco control

Abstract

This Regional Strategy for Tobacco Control primarily provides a longer-term strategic guidance to Member States of the South-East Asia Region to support them in formulating evidence-based policies and designing a sustained and cost-effective programme on tobacco control to counter successfully the rising public health concerns of tobacco use in the Region. The Region is home to around 250 million smokers and nearly the same number of smokeless tobacco users. About 1.3 million deaths occur every year, including around 160 000 deaths due to exposure to second-hand smoke. The increasing trend of tobacco use and its devastating effects pose a grave threat to the health and well-being of the people of the Region. Thus, the implementation of the Regional Strategy is expected to eventually protect the people of the Region from the enormous negative health, social, economic and environmental consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.