May 31 is World No Tobacco Day. In 2025, WHO and public health advocates from around the world will come together to raise awareness about the harmful influences of the tobacco industry on young people.
Tobacco and nicotine products: let’s unmask the tobacco industry’s seduction tactics
This year’s World No Tobacco Day campaign aims to expose the ploys the tobacco and nicotine industries are using to make their products more attractive, particularly to young people. By exposing these tactics, WHO seeks to raise awareness, advocate for stricter policies, including banning flavors that make tobacco and nicotine products more appealing, and protect public health.
The importance of fighting industry tactics
Despite significant progress in the global fight against tobacco, the tobacco and nicotine industries continue to adapt their strategies to attract and retain consumers. These efforts harm public health and target vulnerable groups, particularly young people.
The most common tactics are:
- flavorings and additives, which enhance the taste and mask the harshness of the tobacco in order to increase its appeal;
- targeted marketing, which uses sleek design, attractive packaging and digital media campaigns to glorify harmful products;
- a misleading design, thanks to which the products resemble candy or toys that appeal directly to children and adolescents.
These tactics not only encourage people to start using these products, but also make it more difficult to quit smoking, increasing the risk of addiction and long-term health consequences.
Tougher policies must be applied to protect young Europeans
In 2022, data from the WHO European Region revealed significant gaps in protecting children from e-cigarettes. Only 4 countries ban all flavors in these cigarettes, while 4 others allow or restrict certain flavors. Only 11 countries prohibit all forms of advertising, promotion and sponsorship of electronic cigarettes, compared to 36 which partially ban them and 6 which do not regulate them. These gaps make young people particularly vulnerable to targeted e-cigarette marketing.
The use of products containing nicotine, such as electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches, is increasingly widespread among young people. In 2022, an estimated 12.5% of adolescents in the Region smoked e-cigarettes, compared to only 2% of adults. In some countries, e-cigarette use among school-age children was 2-3 times higher than traditional cigarette use, highlighting a worrying trend that requires urgent action.
World No Tobacco Day 2025 is an opportunity to highlight the strategies that perpetuate the consumption of tobacco and nicotine products, and to strengthen collective commitment to a healthier future.
