Manila: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a strong call for governments worldwide to ban all flavored tobacco and nicotine products, citing their role in fueling addiction among youth. The appeal coincides with World No Tobacco Day on Saturday (May 31) and comes alongside a new WHO publication exposing how flavors and accessories are being used to lure young users.

According to Philippines News Agency, products like cigarettes, pouches, hookahs, and e-cigarettes now come in youth-friendly flavors such as menthol, bubble gum, and cotton candy-masks that disguise their harmful contents and make them more addictive. ‘Flavors are fueling a new wave of addiction and should be banned,’ said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. ‘They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control.’

The WHO report, “Flavor accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal,” shows how manufacturers use capsule filters, click-on flavor drops, and flashy marketing to bypass regulations and target youth. These strategies have made products like nicotine pouches and disposable vapes more appealing.

Currently, more than 50 countries ban flavored tobacco, while over 40 restrict e-cigarette sales. WHO stressed that tobacco products, including heated variants, contain cancer-causing chemicals and must be tightly regulated to curb a growing health crisis.