Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
Surveillance requires the systematic and ongoing collection, collation, analysis and timely dissemination of data to those who need to know so that action can be taken.
Strong national and international tracking is essential for the fight against the tobacco epidemic to succeed. Regular tracking is necessary to generate information on factors that influence the success of the five the MPOWER measures.
Comprehensive surveillance is required for policy-making by governments and civil society. It provides them information on how the tobacco epidemic harms their countries and helps them to allocate tobacco control resources where they are most needed and will be most effective.