The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Friday, launched a new publication and called on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products.

The world body, in a statement on Friday, said that the products included cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youths from addiction and disease.

The organisation said that flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy were masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products, turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait.

According to the statement, flavours not only make it harder to quit, but have also been linked to serious lung diseases.

It also said that cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, came in flavours or can have flavours added to them.

Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said that flavours were fuelling a new wave of addiction and should be banned.

“They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control.

“Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around eight million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours,” Mr Ghebreyesus said.

According to him, the publication of flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal, revealing how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users.

He said that currently, more than 50 countries had banned flavoured tobacco; more than 40 countries banned e-cigarette sales; five specifically banned disposables and seven banned e-cigarette flavours; and

flavour accessories remain largely unregulated.

The world body said that countries such as Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania were taking action, and WHO urged others to follow.

“Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products.

“Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they’ve increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people,” he said.

Rüdiger Krech, WHO director of health promotion, said that they were watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes.

“This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it,” Mr Krech said.

According to him, WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated.

He said that the 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honoured governments, youth activists and civil society leaders pushing back against industry interference.

“Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” Mr Krech said.

He said that with around eight million tobacco-related deaths each year, the time for action was now.

“Flavours and the industries that deploy them, have no place in a healthy future,” he said.

World No Tobacco Day is being celebrated every May 31.

The theme of 2025 is ‘Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products’. 

(NAN)