Report was jointly released by World Health Organization (WHO) and STOP, a global tobacco industry watchdog to mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on 31^st May.

• WNTB Theme for 2024: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.

Key findings

• Globally, an estimated 37 million children aged 13–15 years use tobacco.
• 85% of 15–30-year olds were exposed to electronic-cigarette advertising across multiple media platforms. 
  • Electronic-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that produce aerosol by heating a solution containing nicotine, which is addictive substance in combustible cigarettes.

Why Tobacco Industry is targeting youth?

• To find replacement consumers and generate a lifetime of profits.
• Lack of understanding regarding repercussions of smoking and peer influence gets them easily addicted to tobacco consumption.

Tactics used by Tobacco Industry to target youth

• Releasing new products like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches etc.
• Lowering prices of disposable e-cigarettes, engaging in “buy one, get one free” promotions.
• Marketing in digital spaces, including gaming platforms etc.

Impact of Tobacco Consumption

• Kills more than 8 million people each year due to risk of heart disease, lung disorders, cancer etc.
• As per WHO, smoking costs world's economies more than US$ 1 trillion annually in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity.

Initiatives taken to control Tobacco Consumption India: National Tobacco Control Programme, Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 etc. Global: WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 2003 (India ratified it in 2004), WHO’s MPOWER measures (refer image) etc.