About 63% of the world’s population are now covered by at least one comprehensive tobacco control measure, which has quadrupled since 2007 when only 15% of the world’s population were covered. Strategies to implement such policies have saved millions of people from early death.
Estimates indicate that there has been notable progress in reducing smoking prevalence, with the overall global rate of smoking among adults aged over 15 years declining from 23.5% in 2007 to 20.7% in 2015. However, smoking prevalence in low- and middle-income countries is projected to decline more slowly than in high-income countries.
This year, Bangladesh is conducting the Global Adult Tobacco Survey with support from WHO and partners. This will provide further insight on trends in prevalence of tobacco use in the country.