On August 17th, according to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), tobacco consumption of the adult population in the Americas has dropped from 28% to 16.3% in the first two decades of this century, but e-cigarettes are a threaten.

Tobacco consumption has fallen to 16.3% over the past 20 years and is expected to reach 14.9% in 2025, enabling the region to achieve 2022 tobacco control according to the World Health Organization (WHO) ) on that date, a 30% reduction.

Chile is the country with the most tobacco consumption among adults (29.2%), followed by Argentina, the United States, Uruguay and Cuba. Panama had the lowest percentage (five).

Overall, the report deduced that the percentages were 21.3 for men and 11.3 for women, reaffirming the need for stronger gender aspects in control strategies in the Americas.

Among the youth population, Dominica has the highest share of consumption, followed by Argentina, Mexico, Haiti and Guatemala. Teenagers in Canada, the United States and Brazil smoke the least.

Of the 35 countries in the Americas, 26 have adopted at least one of the six tobacco control measures recommended by WHO since 2008.

According to WHO, this means that 900 million people, or 96% of the region's population, are protected from tobacco harm, a 50% increase from 2007.

"Tobacco kills nearly 1 million people in the region each year, is the only product that is legally consumed, and kills up to half of all consumers." Pan American Health Organization Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Anse Anselm Hennis affirms.

"The response to this huge threat has to be equally positive," he added.

But progress has been inconsistent, with nine countries yet to take any measures (Cuba, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Granada, Haiti, according to the Pan American Health Organization) and Belize).

According to the report, as of last year, 24 countries in the region were taking protective measures against exposure to tobacco smoke from other countries, 22 countries highlighted the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs in large print, and 10 countries had a vigilance system on the most recent data , six offered holistic assistance to people seeking to quit smoking, and nine banned cigarette advertising altogether.

But only three countries (Argentina, Brazil and Chile) impose excise taxes on cigarettes that account for three-quarters or more of their sales price.

South America has become the first smoke-free sub-region in the Americas - that is, banning smoking in public and enclosed spaces and public transport.

Tobacco consumption is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and cancer.

"All forms of tobacco are harmful and there is no safe level of exposure," warns the Pan American Health Organization.

The report warns that the increasing availability of new products like e-cigarettes poses a threat to tobacco control.

"Furthermore, the tobacco industry uses deceptive affirmations to win new consumers and markets," he added.

The Pan American Health Organization recommends government intervention to prevent non-smokers from starting to consume these products and tobacco consumption once again becoming the norm, thereby protecting future generations.

Globally, tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, 1.2 million of whom are non-smokers who have been exposed to tobacco smoke.