World Health Organisation (WHO) has urgently called on governments to ban flavoured tobacco and nicotine products due to their appeal to young consumers.
On World No Tobacco Day, the WHO warned that flavours like menthol, bubblegum, and candy floss turn toxic products into lures for youth and are linked to severe lung diseases.
The WHO pointed out that e-cigarettes with appealing flavours, stylish packaging, and social media advertising specifically target young users. In 2022, 12.5% of minors in the WHO’s “European region” used e-cigarettes, compared to just 2% of adults.
These flavours are designed to ignite curiosity amongst children and adolescents, encouraging experimentation that can lead to addiction. A ban would protect young people, according to the UN agency.
“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction and should be banned,” urged Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global smoking epidemic, which already kills nearly 8 million people each year, will continue, driven by addiction wrapped in attractive flavours.”
The WHO highlighted some promising developments, noting that flavoured tobacco products are banned in over 50 countries and more than 40 have prohibited e-cigarettes. Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania were mentioned as countries taking action.
The organisation emphasised that all tobacco products, including those where tobacco is only heated, expose users to toxic and carcinogenic chemicals and must be strictly regulated.
