Geneva, May 30, 2025-In World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) today launches a new publication and asks governments to urgently forbid all flavors in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, bags, ananchas and electronic cigarettes to protect young people from addiction and disease.
Flavors such as menthol, gum and sugar cotton are masking the hardness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into friendly baits for youth. Flavors not only make it harder to quit smoking, but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, who still kill half of their users, also have flavors or can have added flavors.
«The flavors are feeding a new wave of addiction, and should be prohibited,» said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, CEO of WHO. «Minimum decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, which already kills around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed in attractive flavors.»
The publication, Flavor accessories in tobacco products improve attractiveness and attractive It reveals how flavors and accessories are marketed such as capsule and click fall filters to avoid regulations and hook new users.
Flavors are a main reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Together with the striking packaging and marketing driven by social networks, they have increased the attractiveness of nicotine bags, tobacco with heating and disposable vapes in addictive and harmful products, which are directed aggressively to young people.
«We are seeing a generation hooking to the nicotine through bags with a rubber and rainbow vape,» said Dr. Rüdiger Krech, director of health promotion. «This is not innovation, it is manipulation. And we must stop it.»
Who reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to chemicals that cause cancer and must be strictly regulated.
Situation in the Americas
According to recent data, the region of the Americas currently has the second highest prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents from 13 to 15 years, with 11.9% of boys and 10.7% of the use of girls who report. The region also shows the smallest gender gap, indicating an equality in consumption patterns. At the same time, the use of electronic cigarettes is increasing, particularly between adolescents and young people. In this age group, the regional average for the use of electronic cigarettes is 5.4%, an alarmingly closely close to the prevalence of conventional cigarettes, which is 6%.
In response to this situation, the countries of the Americas have progressed in the implementation of effective measures to reduce the use of tobacco and counteract the strategies used by the tobacco industry. Ten Member States have adopted comprehensive prohibitions of advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco, some of which also cover emerging products such as electronic cigarettes. In addition, seven countries have completely banned the sale of these products.
As a result of these efforts and the implementation of measures described in the WHO frame convention on tobacco control (WHO FCTC), it is estimated that the number of tobacco users in the region has decreased from 159 million in 2000 to 129 million in 2025, a reduction of 18.87%. This downward trend reflects the positive impact of regulations such as 100% smoke -free environments and graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging, as well as the growing awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco on health, economy and the environment.
The World No Tobacco Day was created by the WHO Member States in 1987 and is observed annually on May 31 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use. This year’s campaign aims to expose industry strategies that manipulate the appearance and attractiveness of tobacco and nicotine products. By unmasking these tactics, the initiative seeks to raise awareness, promote policy change and reduce demand, especially among young people.
