From health taxes to AI-powered marketing monitoring, Vital Strategies’ work was front and center at the recent World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin. See how our tools, partnership and advocacy are helping to protect communities and save lives around the world.
Tobacco control is Vital Strategies’ longest-running commitment, and deservedly so, given our mission of improving global health: Tobacco is the largest single source of preventable death and disease, taking more than 8 million lives each year, including more than 1 million nonsmokers.
Vital Strategies has contributed to significant progress since we began our tobacco control work in 2007. Now, more than 4 billion people enjoy greater policy protections in Vital-supported countries and millions of people live healthier lives. From smoke-free cafés in New Delhi and Beijing, to bans on tobacco advertising in Istanbul and Rio de Janeiro and higher tobacco taxes in Hanoi, our work in tobacco control is vast.
That progress, and the urgency of the work ahead, was on full display at the World Conference on Tobacco Control, where more than 130 members of our team met to reflect, strategize and celebrate the global movement to reduce tobacco’s devastating toll on health.
Here are some key highlights and takeaways.
Saving Lives, Reducing Costs, Raising Revenue
Health taxes were front and center at the conference, and for good reason. A 50% tax increase on harmful commodities like tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks could save 50 million lives over the next 50 years. It’s a policy lever with enormous potential, especially with so many countries facing declining global health financing.
Ahead of the conference, Vital Strategies launched CoRRE—the Cost Recovery and Revenue Estimator, an interactive tool hosted at TobaccoAtlas.org that empowers countries to estimate the health and economic benefits of tobacco tax increases. Tools like CoRRE are helping governments make data-driven decisions that save lives and strengthen health systems.
Sharing Our Expertise
Vital’s team members featured in high-profile sessions and dozens of scientific poster presentations. In addition, we promoted the Tobacco Control Implementation Hub, a leading resource offering practical support for governments working to bring strong policies into force. We also proudly introduced Canary!, the AI-powered evolution of our TERM digital marketing monitor, which is designed to identify and counter emerging threats in tobacco marketing. Read more in SciDev.Net’s coverage of Canary! as the new frontier in tobacco control.
Celebrating Tobacco Control Champions
We also honored the recipients of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control, saluting their work under the WHO MPOWER framework. These global champions exemplify what’s possible through evidence-based policy, cross-sector partnership and bold leadership. It was a reminder that this movement has already saved more than 35 million lives, and we are just getting started.
Reporting on the State of the Global Tobacco Epidemic
The 2025 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, launched at the conference, shows that 6.1 billion people are now protected by at least one MPOWER measure. But there are gaps. Forty countries still lack a single best-practice policy, and newer nicotine and tobacco products are rapidly gaining ground, especially among youth.
The message is clear. We have the tools to prevent tobacco-related deaths: tax increases, graphic warnings, cessation support and comprehensive marketing bans. But we must implement them more consistently and extend them to cover emerging products.
Uniting a Global Network of Changemakers
Grantees from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Tobacco Control Grants Program came together during the conference to share their progress and insights from the field.
These local leaders in government, civil society, and academia are the driving force behind so many of the policy wins we’ve seen around the world.
Whether they’re pushing for graphic pack warnings, advocating for tax increases or enforcing smoke-free laws, their commitment is what brings policies to life.
Gaining Momentum and Expressing Gratitude
The conference was a moment of reflection, celebration, and strategy for all our team members working on tobacco control and a reminder of why we do this work. So many of our dedicated colleagues from across the globe got the opportunity to meet and share stories, insights, and inspiration.
The conference closed with the World Conference on Tobacco Control – Dublin Declaration, a unified call to action urging governments to ramp up proven tobacco control measures, hold the tobacco industry accountable, and fully integrate tobacco control into global health and development agendas.
Let’s carry this momentum forward. The time is now.
On the Frontlines of Tobacco Control – A conversation with Yolonda C. Richardson
In the week leading up to the conference, President and CEO Mary-Ann Etiebet, M.D., interviewed Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, at our latest VitalTalks Live event. They discussed the power of advocacy in driving policy change, from ad bans to tax reform, and reflected on the patience, partnerships, and youth leadership needed to sustain this work. It was an energizing and timely conversation about what it takes to lead bold public health efforts in an increasingly complex world.