Tobacco and HIV

This WHO tobacco knowledge summary examines the relationship between tobacco use and HIV, highlighting the substantial health burden associated with tobacco consumption among people living with HIV. It reviews evidence showing that tobacco use is considerably more prevalent in this population than in the general population and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality from both communicable and noncommunicable diseases, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The document also discusses the effects of second-hand smoke and smokeless tobacco, the interaction between tobacco use and HIV-related disease progression, and the benefits of tobacco cessation for health outcomes, quality of life and HIV management.

The publication summarizes current evidence on effective tobacco cessation interventions, including behavioural support, counselling, digital approaches and pharmacotherapy, and examines their applicability for people living with HIV. It further outlines health system strategies for integrating tobacco dependence treatment into HIV services, drawing on existing HIV care infrastructure and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The document emphasizes opportunities for scaling up cessation services through policy, practice and research initiatives, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the burdens of HIV and tobacco use often overlap.