MPOWER is a policy package intended to assist in the country-level implementation of effective interventions to reduce the demand for
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
, as ratified by the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...
(WHO)
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland on 21 May 2003. It became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under ...
. The six evidence-based components of MPOWER are:
* Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
* Protect people from tobacco smoke
* Offer help to quit tobacco use
* Warn about the dangers of tobacco
* Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
* Raise taxes on tobacco
Since its launch in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
by WHO on February 7, 2008, MPOWER has become the internationally-applicable and now widely recognized summary of the essential elements of tobacco control strategy. “MPOWER is the only document of a somewhat strategic nature that is a source of information on the spread of tobacco epidemic, as well as of suggestions concerning specific actions for supporting the fight against this epidemic.”
History
The ''WHO Report of the Global Tobacco Epidemic: The MPOWER Package'' was the first in a series of WHO reports to track the status of the tobacco epidemic and the impact of interventions to stop it. The report was launched at a news conference by
Margaret Chan
Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, (born 21 August 1947) is a Chinese-Canadian physician, who served as the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) delegating the People's Republic of China from 2006–2017. Chan previously served ...
, Director-General of WHO with New York City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...
on February 7, 2008. Bloomberg Philanthropies helped fund the report. According to Bloomberg, “The report released today is revolutionary. For the first time, we have both a rigorous approach to stop the tobacco epidemic and solid data to hold us all accountable.”
Former WHO Advocacy Coordinator Kraig Klaudt developed the MPOWER brand and report's creative concept. The report was designed by Ruth Klotzel of Estúdio Infinito in
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
and the text was edited by Patricia Logullo also in Brazil. According to the International Council of Communication Design
Icograda
The International Council of Design (ICoD; formerly known as ico-D, International Council of Communication Design or Icograda, which was formerly an initialism for International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is an international organisa ...
, the “graphic production of the book has a unique feature. It is a rectangular cutout that goes through all the pages and houses a gift for the reader: a box designed purposely to resemble a cigarette box but containing note paper and pens. The pens are printed with the six strategic messages of the MPOWER brand – a means of enhancing message recall.”
The MPOWER report’s unique design caught the attention of journalists covering its launch. According to the
Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...
, “WHO is using marketing techniques reminiscent of the tobacco companies. It has branded the campaign MPOWER – each letter represents one of six strategies – and is eschewing scare tactics in favor of the theme ‘fresh and alive.’ Press materials came with a box that looks like a pack of cigarettes and contains a pad and pens describing the elements of the campaign.” Said Sandra Mullin, a spokeswoman for the World Lung Foundation, “We're co-opting the tobacco industry's branding strategies to capture the attention of government officials. We want to show that they don't own those mottos – freshness and fun and health.”
As of 2013,
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies is a philanthropic organization that encompasses all of the charitable giving of founder Michael R. Bloomberg. Headquartered in New York City, Bloomberg Philanthropies focuses its resources on five areas: the environmen ...
had invested US$600 million to support implementation of the MPOWER tobacco control policies. The Philanthropy works through a global network of partners to support countries implementing comprehensive tobacco control policies, including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the
CDC Foundation,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is the public health graduate school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. As the second independent, degree-granting institution for research in epi ...
, the
International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease or The Union, is a global scientific organization headquartered in Paris with the stated goals to "improve health for people in low- and middle-income Countries". The Union focuses its w ...
, the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...
, and the
World Lung Foundation
World Lung Foundation (WLF) is a non-profit foundation established in 2004 to support private organizations and government agencies, who work to improve lung health, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries.
WLF provides financial and t ...
. The Bloomberg's initiative also received an investment from the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...
.
Impact
The findings of a July 2013 WHO report showed that 2.3 billion people – more than a third of the world’s population – are covered by at least one effective MPOWER tobacco control measure, an increase from the 1 billion covered in 2008. In Turkey, the MPOWER strategy had helped lead to 1.2 million fewer adult smokers in the country.
Since the launch of the MPOWER strategy, 18 countries with almost 750 million citizens have passed 100% smoke-free laws including Brazil, Turkey and Pakistan. Several of the world’s largest cities have also gone smoke-free, including Mexico City, Jakarta, and China’s Harbin City. Additionally, 11 countries have passed graphic cigarette pack warning laws and seven countries have passed comprehensive advertising and sponsorship bans that are newly protecting 400 million and 200 million people, respectively.
A 2013 study found that 7 out of 9 recent international human rights treaties contained at least one policy area addressed by the MPOWER strategy, including 30 different articles.
See also
*
Tobacco control
Tobacco control is a field of international public health science, policy and practice dedicated to addressing tobacco use and thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality it causes. Since most cigarettes and cigars and hookahs contain/use ...
*
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland on 21 May 2003. It became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under ...
*
World Lung Foundation
World Lung Foundation (WLF) is a non-profit foundation established in 2004 to support private organizations and government agencies, who work to improve lung health, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries.
WLF provides financial and t ...
*
World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed around the world every year on 31 May. The yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what the World Health Organization (WHO) is ...
References
{{Portal bar, Politics
Health treaties
World Health Organization treaties
Tobacco control