31st May 2025 is World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). In 2025 WHO and public health champions from across the globe will come together for WNTD to raise awareness about the harmful tactics of the tobacco industry.
Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products
This year’s WNTD campaign aims to reveal the strategies employed by the tobacco and nicotine industries to make their harmful products enticing, particularly to young people. By exposing these tactics, WHO seeks to drive awareness, advocate for stronger policies, including a ban on flavours that make tobacco and nicotine products more appealing, and protect public health.
The importance of addressing industry tactics
Despite significant progress in global tobacco control, the tobacco and nicotine industries continue to adapt their strategies to attract and retain consumers. These efforts undermine public health and target vulnerable groups, particularly youth. Common tactics include:
- flavouring and additives: enhancing taste and masking the harshness of tobacco to increase its appeal;
- targeted marketing: using sleek designs, attractive packaging, and digital media campaigns to glamorize harmful products; and
- deceptive product design: creating products that resemble sweets or toys, appealing directly to children and adolescents.
These tactics not only encourage the initiation of use, but also complicate quitting, increasing the risk of addiction and long-term health consequences. In 2022, data from the WHO European Region revealed significant gaps in protecting children from electronic cigarettes. Only
4 countries ban all flavours in e-cigarettes, while another 4 allow or restrict specific flavours. Just
11 countries prohibit all forms of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of e-cigarettes, compared to
36 with partial bans, and
6 with no regulations. These gaps leave young people particularly vulnerable to targeted e-cigarette marketing. The use of nicotine products like electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches is growing among youth. In 2022, an estimated
12.5% of adolescents in the Region used e-cigarettes, compared to only
2% of adults. In some countries, e-cigarette use among school-aged children was
2–3 times higher than cigarette smoking, highlighting a concerning trend that requires urgent action. WNTD 2025 provides an opportunity to shine a light on the strategies that perpetuate tobacco and nicotine use, and to reinforce the collective commitment to a healthier future.
World No Tobacco Day 2025: unmasking the appeal 