Global Progress in Tobacco Control Measures, Germany Lags Behind

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that 71% of the global population, or 5.6 billion people, are now protected by at least one tobacco control measure, a significant increase from 2007. The report highlights the success of WHO's MPOWER tobacco control measures in reducing smoking rates worldwide. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of smoke-free indoor public places and applauds Mauritius and the Netherlands for achieving best-practice level in all MPOWER measures. However, there is still work to be done, as 44 countries remain unprotected by any MPOWER measures, and 53 countries lack complete smoking bans in healthcare facilities. The report urges all countries to implement comprehensive tobacco control policies to combat the tobacco epidemic, which claims 8.7 million lives annually.