Muscat – A new World Health Organization report has shown that tobacco use rates are declining globally. However, Oman is among six countries in the world where tobacco use is rising.

The report shows that 150 countries are successfully reducing tobacco use, while six countries – Congo, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Oman and Moldova – are still seeing tobacco use rising.

Globally, there are 1.25bn adult tobacco users, according to the latest estimates in the WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030 released on January 16.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Dr Jawad al Lawati, Senior Consultant and Rapporteur of National Tobacco Control Committee, said this trend is expected to continue if effective measures are not  implemented. “This is mainly because there is no comprehensive legislation in Oman for tobacco control at the moment, despite all other GCC countries having one.”

Dr Lawati added that there are several challenges which tobacco control is facing in Oman. “New products are coming in. In addition to e-cigarettes and e-shisha, there are heated tobacco products. There are also nicotine bags and tobacco bags, which are used as oral tobacco products or substitutes for oral tobacco.

“These products are becoming increasingly popular, especially among younger demographics, underscoring the urgency for regulatory action. Although there has been a recent increase in fines for e-cigarette usage, there needs to be a fine for people who are caught using it. Comprehensive measures are needed to address both traditional and emerging forms of tobacco and nicotine use.”

Dr Lawati added that allowing e-shisha in indoor public places further complicates the public health landscape. “Addressing these issues is crucial for the health and well-being of the population.”

Commenting on the lack of comprehensive legislation, Dr Lawati said that “higher authorities are not yet convinced” of the urgent need of these.  

In the report, Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of WHO Department of Health Promotion, said, “Good progress has been made in tobacco control in recent years, but there is no time for complacency. I’m astounded at the depths the tobacco industry will go to pursue profits at the expense of countless lives. We see that the minute a government thinks they have won the fight against tobacco, the tobacco industry seizes the opportunity to manipulate health policies and sell their deadly products.”

WHO urged countries to continue putting in place tobacco control policies and fight against tobacco industry interference.

Currently, the WHO South-East Asian Region has the highest percentage of population using tobacco at 26.5% with the European Region not far behind at 25.3%. The report shows that by 2030, the WHO European Region is projected to have the highest rates globally with a prevalence of just over 23%. Tobacco use rates among women in WHO’s European Region are more than double the global average and are reducing much slower than in all other regions.

While the numbers have steadily decreased over the years, the world will make it to a 25% relative reduction in tobacco use by 2025, missing the voluntary global goal of 30% reduction from the 2010 baseline. Only 56 countries globally will reach this goal, down four countries since the last report in 2021.