Note: World Lung Foundation united with The Union North America. From January 2016, the combined organization is known as “Vital Strategies.”
(New York, United States) – World Lung Foundation today urged world leaders meeting at the United Nations to reduce deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) immediately by reducing tobacco use in their countries. Tobacco use causes 35% of all lung disease, 26% of all cancers and 11% of all heart diseases and stroke, making it the leading cause of preventable death and the most significant risk factor for NCDs.
Peter Baldini, Chief Executive Officer, World Lung Foundation commented: “The UN High Level Meeting on NCDs is a step forward for global health because it finally puts on the global agenda the diseases of the 21st century. The problem we face is that governments stopped short of the measureable commitments we need to truly address the crisis.
Rather than punt down the road, world leaders can prevent millions of NCD deaths now by increasing tobacco taxes, making public places 100% smoke-free, educating people on the harms of tobacco and eliminating tobacco advertising and sponsorship. More than 170 countries agreed to take such steps when they ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), a global health treaty. Yet, less than 10% of the world’s population is covered by its key policies. Governments must act more aggressively to turn the tide against NCDs.
We must also recognize that NCDs are inextricably linked with other critical public health and development issues. Strengthening surveillance and establishing more robust integrated health systems can reduce the global burdens of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and also reduce preventable maternal deaths.”
WLF works with the World Health Organization to implement its MPOWER strategies to reduce tobacco consumption in alignment with the FCTC. MPOWER strategies are endorsed and promoted by the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, of which WLF is a principal partner.
WLF is also a partner in the NCD Alliance, which advocates for the inclusion of NCDs in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Working toward a high-level meeting that will be attended by heads of state and leading global policy, WLF has pledged its full support to ensuring NCDs and risk factors such as tobacco use are appropriately addressed at the meeting. Working with other tobacco control partners, WLF launched 15000aDay.org, an online advocacy campaign that empowers the public to call upon their governments to take action against tobacco at the UN meeting. The campaign has reached more than 100 countries.