On World No Tobacco Day 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an urgent global appeal calling for a comprehensive ban on all flavoured tobacco and nicotine products. The organisation warns that flavours such as cotton candy, menthol, and bubble gum — often promoted through flashy packaging and social media — are luring a new generation into addiction.
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Flavours not only mask the harshness of tobacco and nicotine but also undermine efforts to quit, with some linked to serious lung conditions. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, “Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction and should be banned. They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control.” He added that without bold action, the global epidemic — which already causes around 8 million deaths annually — will continue to grow.
Flavour Accessories Exploiting Regulatory Loopholes
A new WHO publication, “Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal”, highlights how the tobacco industry is using flavour accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops to bypass regulations. These accessories allow users to add flavours even in jurisdictions where flavoured tobacco has been banned.
While over 50 countries have outlawed flavoured tobacco and more than 40 have banned flavoured e-cigarettes, many still lack laws covering these flavour-enhancing accessories. Countries like Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania are leading regulatory action, but WHO stresses that many others must follow swiftly to prevent further harm.
Pakistan’s Youth at Growing Risk
Pakistan faces an especially critical situation, with WHO data showing an estimated 164,000 tobacco-related deaths each year and an annual economic burden of over Rs700 billion. Flavoured nicotine products, including pouches, disposable vapes, and menthol cigarettes, are gaining traction among Pakistani youth, often promoted under misleading health claims.
A 2024 survey revealed that 68% of student users in Pakistan had experimented with e-cigarettes, most citing flavours as the primary reason for trying them. “We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” warned Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation — and we must stop it.”
Despite health warnings, many flavoured nicotine products remain widely available in urban centres across Pakistan, raising concerns among public health experts and civil society groups who have long demanded stricter regulation.
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WHO’s 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honours the work of governments, youth advocates, and civil society leaders resisting industry tactics and pushing for stronger laws. The campaign reiterates that all tobacco products — including heated tobacco — expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” said Dr Krech, applauding those who are pushing back against the tobacco industry’s influence.