This World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on 31 May 2025, WHO and public health champions are raising awareness about tobacco industry tactics to make their harmful products appear attractive, particularly to young people, with the theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.”
The tobacco industry relentlessly seeks ways to hook a new generation of users and keep existing ones by making these products seem appealing and attractive. The business of tobacco and nicotine depends on addiction: the more people that are hooked, the more profit they make. These efforts undermine public health and target vulnerable groups, particularly youth.
Their deliberate and deceptive tactics disguise the harm of these products by encouraging uptake and complicating quitting which increases the risk of addiction and long-term health consequences. Such tactics include:
- Adding flavours and other agents to change the smell, taste or appearance to disguise the harshness of tobacco and increase palatability. Flavours are often cited as the primary reason for starting to use nicotine and tobacco products and are more difficult to quit.
- They use glamourous strategies such as sleek designs and bright, attractive colours to market these products, including through social media channels.
- They use deceptive designs, creating products that mimic sweets, toys, and even cartoon characters which children and adolescents find appealing.
This WNTD, WHO is raising awareness of tobacco and nicotine industry tactics to manipulate the appearance and appeal of these products. By unmasking these tactics, WHO aims to reduce the demand, particularly among youth, ultimately reducing their exposure to nicotine and tobacco products.
WHO is urging governments to protect young people and future generations from using tobacco and other nicotine products through policy changes such as
- Measures to ban flavours and additives that make these products more appealing;
- complete bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, including on social media and digital platforms; and
- regulation of the design of the products and their packages to make them less appealing.
The WHO Centre for Health Development in Kobe, Japan is a global research centre of excellence focusing on health systems responses to accelerate Universal Health Coverage in the context of population ageing, and health emergencies and disaster risk management.