With over 8 million tobacco-related deaths recorded yearly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for global intervention to ban flavoured tobacco and nicotine products.
WHO made this known while marking World No Tobacco Day. The WHO report showed how flavours like menthol, bubble gum, and cotton candy are making harmful tobacco products attractive to young people.
These flavours mask the harshness of tobacco and make it harder for users to quit, stating that the time to act is now—WHO says the message is clear: flavours have no place in a healthy future.
‘We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”
As part of the 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign, WHO is recognising governments, youth leaders, and civil society groups who are standing up to the tobacco industry. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” Dr. Krech said.
The report, “Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction and should be banned,” exposes how companies use flavoured filters, capsules, and drops to avoid regulations and lure young users. These tactics are paired with flashy packaging and aggressive social media marketing.
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WHO warns that all tobacco products, including newer ones like heated tobacco, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be tightly controlled.
Currently, over 50 countries have banned flavoured tobacco products, and more than 40 countries restrict or ban e-cigarettes. However, flavour accessories remain mostly unregulated.
WHO praised countries like Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania for taking action and urged others to follow suit.
