New tobacco and nicotine products threaten tobacco reduction, WHO warns

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Stopping tobacco organizations and products (STOP, a global tobacco industry monitoring network) have released a report entitled " Hooking the next generation » (Hooking the Next Generation), which demonstrates how the tobacco and nicotine industry designs new products and promotes them through marketing campaigns while working to shape favorable policy environments to addict as many young people around the world as possible to nicotine.

Despite significant progress in reducing tobacco use in many countries, the emergence of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco and nicotine products poses a serious threat to youth and tobacco control. Studies show that e-cigarette use increases tobacco cigarette consumption nearly three-fold, particularly among youth.[1].

Addictive products designed and promoted to appeal to teenagers

The range of products marketed by the industry to attract young people has expanded considerably, from tobacco cigarettes, cigarillos and shisha to newer products such as heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and beads. The addition of flavours and additives to these products, combined with stylish designs and colourful packaging, make these highly addictive products even more attractive to young people. Manufacturers are rapidly disseminating these products, which either circumvent or are not included in current regulations, using all available means to expand their market share.

According to the WHO, these products are often heavily promoted or even given away for free, and are sold near schools, where they are displayed at children’s eye level alongside snacks, sweets and sugary drinks. They are also marketed on social media, streaming services and gaming platforms, and are endorsed by influencers and celebrities. A study by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) showed that in 2023, content promoting e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products from British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International was viewed more than 3.4 billion times on social media platforms worldwide. Marketing content from three brands – Vuse, Velo and IQOS – reached more than 150 million young people under the age of 25.[2].

Tobacco companies also sponsor youth-oriented events, including sporting events and concerts, as well as school programs; they also fund front groups and attempt to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to create a more positive perception of the industry among young people. These companies market their nicotine products as “safer” than cigarettes, distracting policymakers and consumers from the fact that nicotine itself is highly addictive, particularly among children and young people. Studies from around the world show that adolescents and young adults are adopting these products at an alarming rate. One study[3] A 2023 survey of e-cigarette users aged 18-24 in the United States showed that 72% of them had never smoked a manufactured cigarette before starting vaping.

Ban or drastically regulate new nicotine products

WHO urges governments to protect young people from tobacco use, e-cigarettes and other nicotine products by banning or strictly regulating these products. WHO recommends that all Parties implement the full range of measures of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), in particular Article 5.3, by adopting a whole-of-government approach at all levels to protect public policies from interference by the tobacco industry lobby. WHO calls on governments to implement and enforce comprehensive bans on advertising of tobacco and nicotine products, and in particular the additional guidance related to Article 13 of the FCTC, adopted at the tenth Conference of the Parties in February 2024 (COP10), to prevent digital and cross-border advertising, and the portrayal of tobacco in entertainment media (these guidelines are designed to help governments take rapid action to protect children and young people).

WHO also recommends creating 100% tobacco- and vaping-free indoor public spaces, banning all flavoured products, drastically increasing taxes on these products, raising public awareness of the deceptive tactics used by the tobacco industry, and supporting youth-led education and awareness initiatives.

Finally, governments must hold the tobacco industry and related industries accountable - including through financial sanctions - for the harm they cause to health and the environment, as well as the economic costs associated with the production, marketing and use of their products, according to WHO.

WHO calls on governments, public health organizations, civil society and young people to work together to achieve a generation free from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine addiction.

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] Communicated, Tobacco and nicotine industry tactics addict youth for life, WHO, published May 23, 2024, accessed May 24, 2024

[2] Tobacco industry ads generate billions of views and reach millions of kids on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; published in December 2023

[3] Harris E. Most Young Adults Who Use E-Cigarettes Have Never Smoked. JAMA. 2023;330(21):2045. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.22357