The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products.
This include cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pouches and hookahs—to protect youth from addiction and disease.
WHO warns that flavours such as menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy make these harmful products more appealing to young people.
According to WHO, these flavours mask their harshness, increasing the risk of addiction and serious lung diseases.
“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction and undermining decades of progress in tobacco control,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.
He stressed that the tobacco epidemic—already responsible for eight million deaths annually—could worsen without decisive action.
A new WHO publication reveals how flavour accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are used to skirt regulations and attract new users.
While over 50 countries have banned flavoured tobacco and more than 40 have restricted e-cigarettes, flavour accessories remain largely unregulated.
“Gummy bear pouches and rainbow vapes are not innovation—they’re manipulation,” added Dr. Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion.
Krech, emphasized the urgency of stricter regulations.
The announcement aligns with the 2025 World No Tobacco Day theme: “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.”
