#TobaccoExposed
This year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, “Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use”, focuses on providing required knowledge to young people to easily detect tobacco industry manipulation. It also seeks to empower them to stand up against tobacco industry tactics and equip them with the tools to rebuff such tactics. We use this moment to advocate effective policy interventions to reduce the demand for tobacco and protect against industry tactics that undermine tobacco control efforts.
The tobacco industry is continuously trying to draw new consumers. For decades, the tobacco industry has deliberately employed aggressive tactics to attract youth to tobacco products. Nowadays, to get new users, the tobacco industry continues its misleading marketing through novel and emerging products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The industry promotes these products as “reduced harm” or “cleaner alternatives” with no objective science substantiating these claims.
Message of Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, on World No Tobacco Day 2020, 31 May 2020
Every year on 31 May, we commemorate World No Tobacco Day to highlight the dangers of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke, and to advocate for effective policies to save lives.
This year’s theme is “protecting youth from industry manipulation” and we are launching a global counter-marketing campaign against the tobacco industry’s aggressive tactics to attract a new generation of customers. We will need everyone to get on board, to challenge the US$ 8 billion investment by industry each year in marketing these lethal products.
We know that tobacco kills half its users and smokers have a higher risk of severe disease and death if infected with COVID-19.
Read the full message | Read the full message in frenchFeature stories
31 March 2020
31 March 2020
