A/79/177 prevalent, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, which are home to over 80 per cent of global tobacco users. 100 45. The scepticism towards the tobacco industry’s harm reduction initiatives stems from their long and well-documented history of duplicitous behaviour, concealing and downplaying the health risks of their products, while deceptively marketing alternatives as harm reduction or quitting alternatives 101 as ascertained in judicial proceedings. 102 46. Tobacco use contributes to deepening cycles of poverty; while increasing health-related costs, tobacco consumption leads to premature disability that hampers economic productivity, further contributing to economic hardships. 103 47. The tobacco industry has a history of targeting Black populations with more addictive products, making it harder to quit smoking. 104 Decades after the adoption of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the scientific evidence of the risks to health caused by tobacco use became public knowledge, the same industry allegedly intends to mend the damage by spreading new products wh ose health risks are uncertain and which are marketed broadly beyond people who are already addicted to traditional tobacco. 105 8. Alcohol 48. While alcohol consumption has been historically accepted in many cultures for centuries, 106 it is associated with a range of health risks, including alcohol use disorders, injuries, liver disease, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers. 107 Causing over 3 million deaths every year, 108 alcohol can be dangerous and result in harm for non- consumers, including family members and strangers who can be the subject of injuries, violence or other alcohol-related harm. 109 49. Furthermore, zero- or low-alcohol products 110 are sometimes targeted at children, creating risks and vulnerability due to alcohol harm. 9. Ultra-processed products 111 50. Unhealthy diets are responsible for 11 million preventable global deaths every year 112 and are a major risk factor for preventable non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and other conditions. 113 Ultra-processed __________________ 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 12/28 Ibid. WHO, “Tobacco”, 31 July 2023. A court in the United States of America found this scheme to be deceptive and intended to further tobacco’s economic goals: “to keep smokers smoking; to stop smokers from quitting; to encourage people, especially young people, to start smoking; and to ma intain or increase corporate profits”. See United States District Court, District of Columbia, United States v. Philip Morris USA, Inc., 449 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2006); and Edward L. Sweda, Jr., Mark Gottlieb and Christopher N. Banthin, “Light cigarette lawsuits in the United States: 2007”, Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, November 2007. See www.who.int/health-topics/tobacco#tab=tab_2. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, “Menthol tobacco products”, 15 May 2024. WHO, “Tobacco”, 31 July 2023. WHO, “Alcohol”, 28 June 2024. Ibid. See www.who.int/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases. WHO, “Alcohol”. WHO, Reducing the Harm from Alcohol. A/78/185, paras. 24–31, 38 and 58. NCD Alliance, “Bad diets responsible for 11 million premature deaths globally per year”, 8 April 2019. See www.who.int/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases. 24-13226