WHO urges global ban on flavored tobacco to protect youth

GENEVA: On World No Tobacco Day 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a strong call to action urging governments worldwide to ban all flavored tobacco and nicotine products, including menthol cigarettes, nicotine pouches, hookahs, and e-cigarettes, in a move to protect young people from addiction and serious health risks.

Flavored products such as bubble gum, cotton candy, and menthol are increasingly being used as tools to mask the harshness of nicotine and attract youth, turning harmful substances into seemingly harmless, trendy products. The new WHO publication, "Flavoured accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal," reveals how flavorings and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are strategically marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users, particularly adolescents and young adults.

“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction and should be banned,” warned Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.”

Youth-targeted marketing raising alarms

The use of flavors, along with flashy packaging and influencer-driven marketing on social media, has fueled the popularity of disposable vapes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches among young people. WHO health promotion director Dr Rüdiger Krech noted, “We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavored pouches and rainbow-colored vapes. This isn’t innovation; it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”

Currently:

• Over 50 countries ban flavored tobacco;
• More than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales;
• Flavor accessories, however, remain largely unregulated.

WHO praised countries like Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania for taking action and encouraged More governments to follow suit. The organization also reaffirmed its position that heated tobacco products contain carcinogens and must be strictly regulated.

Flavored nicotine: a barrier to quitting, a gateway to harm

Research consistently shows that flavored tobacco products make it harder to quit, and are linked to serious health consequences, including lung diseases and cancer. WHO estimates that tobacco-related illnesses claim 8 million lives annually, a number that could rise if flavored products continue to target the next generation.

The 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honors governments, youth activists, and civil society leaders who are taking bold steps against tobacco industry tactics and saving lives through progressive policy changes.

“Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” emphasized Dr Krech.

As global health leaders warn, the time for action is now. Flavored tobacco and nicotine products have no place in a healthy future.

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