Tobacco or health: a WHO programme.

Tobacco is currently estimated to be responsible for 3 million deaths per year. The WHO, as a leader in international health, had to react to this situation to protect the health of the world's population against this new man-made epidemic. The traditional functions of the organisation and its structure have enabled it to create a global programme on tobacco or health; new approaches in health promotion will make the activities of this programme easier to follow by all countries and more cost-efficient for its member states. This article endeavours to summarise how the different constitutional mandates of WHO have given rise in the Tobacco or Health programme to (1) activities in support of health promotion advocacy and public information; (2) validation and dissemination of information; and (3) development of national tobacco control programmes. Furthermore, the WHO governing bodies are offering a forum for debate on these matters and buttressing national policies through international support and carefully steering WHO's Tobacco or Health programme in the face of almost permanent new scientific and political happenings, to keep its activities within the confines of WHO's role and the goals of the Tobacco or Health programme. The organisation has endeavoured to move the tobacco or health agenda towards the problems of developing countries who can still avoid the looming tobacco epidemic. Finally, a global strategy of health protection and promotion priority is given to women and children.