Like every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has distinguished individuals and organizations for an outstanding contribution to advancing the policies and measures included in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in each of the six regions that make up that health agency.
Winners are selected from nominations submitted after a global public call and a maximum of six prizes are awarded per region, two of which may receive Special Recognition.
Dr. Reina Roa, from Panama, received the special award from the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for 20 years of work dedicated to eliminating smoking.
Roa is the Deputy Bureau Chief of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products on behalf of the Americas, and has contributed to reducing the prevalence of tobacco use to 5.1 percent in 2020. Tobacco among people over 15 years of age is in Panama, the lowest in the area.
ACT Promoção da Saúde and the Center for Tobacco and Health Studies of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil received a joint award for their significant contribution to tobacco control in Brazil and understanding of the social and environmental impact of agriculture and production.
The Mexican organizations Salud Justa Mx, Polithink, Coalición México Salud-Hable, Códice SC (Communicación, Dialogo y Conciencia SC) and Refleacciona con Responsabilidad AC have received an award for their efforts and perseverance over more than a decade in advocating for the implementation of effective tobacco control measures in line with FCTC in your country.
Mexico is the 24th member country of the World Health Organization with 100 percent smoke-free public places, indoor workplaces, and public transportation, and the ninth country to completely ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Tobacco in Uruguay and the Uruguay Tobacco Association have also been recognized for protecting the application of plain packaging for tobacco products in their country, a policy adopted in 2019.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills more than eight million people each year in the world, one million of them in the Americas.
World No Tobacco Day was established by the Member States of the World Health Organization in 1987 and is celebrated every May 31 with the aim of raising awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use and exposure to its smoke.
This year’s theme is Grow Food Without Tobacco, a campaign aimed at encouraging governments to end subsidies on tobacco cultivation and use the resources to help farmers switch to more sustainable crops that improve food safety and nutrition for the world’s population.
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