ISLAMABAD: On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO), a United Nations agency based in Geneva, called on governments worldwide to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products. This includes cigarettes, pouches, hookahs, and e-cigarettes. The move aims to protect young people from addiction and serious diseases. According to WHO, flavoured tobacco and nicotine products are inherently addictive and toxic, often even more harmful than regular tobacco. Flavours increase product usage, make quitting harder, and have been linked to severe lung diseases.
Flavoured Products Luring a New Generation
Despite decades of progress in reducing tobacco use, flavoured tobacco products are attracting a new generation into addiction. These products contribute to approximately eight million tobacco-related deaths annually. Bright and colourful packaging, often featuring sweet and fruity flavour descriptions, is deliberately targeted at youth. Studies show that this type of advertising activates reward centres in adolescent brains, diminishing the effectiveness of health warnings. Young people also report increased exposure to flavoured nicotine product promotions across social media platforms.
WHO Calls for Global Policy Action
WHO highlights that flavours like menthol, bubble gum, and cotton candy mask the harshness of tobacco and nicotine, making these toxic products more appealing to youth. Ahead of World No Tobacco Day, the agency released fact sheets urging governments to ban flavours in all tobacco and nicotine products to prevent lifelong addiction and health risks. The call aligns with Articles 9 and 10 of the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which requires countries to regulate tobacco product contents, including flavourings. As of December 2024, over 50 countries have implemented policies to regulate or ban flavoured tobacco products. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic will continue fueled by addiction “dressed up with appealing flavours.”
