People in all but about 20 countries have a higher risk of dying prematurely from a noncommunicable disease (NCD) than from infectious and parasitic diseases, maternal and perinatal conditions, and nutritional deficiencies combined. The risk of dying from an NCD is highest in low-and middle-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa for both sexes and in central Asia and eastern Europe for men. Progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4 is markedly different across countries. At current rates of decline in NCD mortality, SDG target 3.4 is expected to be met for women in 35 countries (19% of all countries) and men in 30 countries (16%). Most of these are high-income countries with already-low NCD mortality and countries in central and eastern Europe. A further 50 countries (for women) and 35 countries (for men) would achieve the target with a modest acceleration of decline. Mortality from the four NCDs included in SDG target 3.4 has stagnated or increased since 2010 among women and men in 15 and 24 countries, respectively. Another 86 countries (for women) and 97 (for men) are progressing too slowly, and need to implement policies that significantly increase the rates of decline, if they are to meet SDG target 3.4. NCD deaths beyond the age range and causes of death included in SDG target 3.4 cause a larger mortality burden in low-and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. Health policies should address NCDs beyond the causes and age groups covered in SDG target 3.4, so as to "leave no one behind". Substantial reduction of NCD mortality requires policies that significantly reduce tobacco and alcohol use and blood pressure levels, and provide access to efficacious and high-quality preventive and curative care for NCDs in the context of UHC. 86 countries (46%) for women and 97 (52%) for men need the implementation of policies that significantly increase the rates of decline. Mortality from the four NCDs included in SDG target 3.4 has stagnated or increased since 2010 among women and men in 15 (8%) and 24 (13%) countries, respectively. NCD causes and age groups other than those included in the SDG target 3.4 are responsible for a higher risk of death in low-and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. For countries to substantially reduce NCD mortality requires policies that significantly reduce tobacco and alcohol use and blood pressure levels, and provide efficacious and high-quality preventive and curative care for NCDs, including timely diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and treatment-amenable cancers, and treatment pathways that improve the survival of those with acute and chronic NCDs.

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This overview describes the principles of the 4th edition of the European Code against Cancer and provides an introduction to the 12 recommendations to reduce cancer risk. Among the 504.6 million inhabitants of the member states of the European Union (EU28), there are annually 2.64 million new cancer cases and 1.28 million deaths from cancer. It is estimated that this cancer burden could be reduced by up to one half if scientific knowledge on causes of cancer could be translated into successful prevention. The Code is a preventive tool aimed to reduce the cancer burden by informing people how to avoid or reduce carcinogenic exposures, adopt behaviours to reduce the cancer risk, or to participate in organised intervention programmes. The Code should also form a base to guide national health policies in cancer prevention. The 12 recommendations are: not smoking or using other tobacco products; avoiding second-hand smoke; being a healthy body weight; encouraging physical activity; having a healthy diet; limiting alcohol consumption, with not drinking alcohol being better for cancer prevention; avoiding too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation; avoiding cancer-causing agents at the workplace; reducing exposure to high levels of radon; encouraging breastfeeding; limiting the use of hormone replacement therapy; participating in organised vaccination programmes against hepatitis B for newborns and human papillomavirus for girls; and participating in organised screening programmes for bowel cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer.

The globalisation of tobacco marketing, trade, research, and industry influence represents a major threat to public health worldwide. Drawing upon tobacco industry strategy documents prepared over several decades, this paper will demonstrate how the tobacco industry operates as a global force, regarding the world as its operating market by planning, developing, and marketing its products on a global scale. The industry has used a wide range of methods to buy influence and power, and penetrate markets across the world. It has an annual turnover of almost US$400 billion. In contrast, until recently tobacco control lacked global leadership and strategic direction and had been severely underfunded. As part of moving towards a more sustainable form of globalisation, a global enabling environment linked to local actions should focus on the following strategies: global information management; development of nationally and locally grounded action; global regulation, legal instruments, and foreign policy; and establishment of strong partnerships with purpose. As the vector of the tobacco epidemic, the tobacco industry's actions fall far outside of the boundaries of global corporate responsibility. Therefore, global and local actions should not provide the tobacco industry with the two things that it needs to ensure its long term profitability: respectability and predictability.

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