As the world marks World Tobacco Day 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised serious concern over the increasing use of tobacco and nicotine products among African youth, calling for urgent and targeted action to protect children and adolescents from industry manipulation.
In a message to commemorate the day, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, warned that the tobacco industry is aggressively exploiting vulnerable adolescents through slick marketing tactics, flavoured products, and misleading packaging, which mask the real dangers of tobacco use.
“Despite decades of progress in tobacco control, the industry continues to reinvent its approach,” Ihekweazu said. “These strategies present tobacco as modern or glamorous, making it easier for young people to start and harder to stop.”
The theme for this year’s campaign, “Unmasking the Appeal,” highlights how the tobacco industry designs its products and promotions to lure young users. According to WHO, over 61 million people in Africa use tobacco products, and alarmingly, more than 6% of adolescents aged 13 to 15 are already users a growing public health crisis.
“Adolescents are particularly vulnerable. The developing brain is more susceptible to nicotine addiction and its long-term effects, including impaired cognitive development,” Ihekweazu emphasized. “Early use increases the risk of chronic respiratory diseases, heart conditions and cancer.”
The WHO estimates that 146,000 people die annually from tobacco-related diseases in the African Region, a toll that could rise if decisive action is not taken to counter new marketing strategies targeting the youth.
The health agency is calling on governments, communities, schools and families to work together to shield children from the harmful influence of tobacco and nicotine products. Key recommendations include:
Banning flavoured tobacco and attractive product designs aimed at young consumers.
Regulating digital advertising and sponsorships on platforms frequented by youth; Preventing packaging designs that mimic snacks or toys; Providing age-appropriate education to foster informed and healthy decisions.
While some African countries have made strides including Mauritius, which recently adopted WHO’s full-scale tobacco control measures, Ihekweazu stressed that more must be done to keep pace with the evolving tactics of the tobacco industry.
The WHO continues to support countries through frameworks like the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the MPOWER policy package, which promotes evidence-based measures such as advertising bans, public smoking restrictions, and tobacco tax increases.
“Protecting the next generation is both a public health priority and a moral imperative,” Ihekweazu said. “On this World No Tobacco Day, let us recommit to creating a tobacco-free future where every young person in Africa can grow up safe, healthy and empowered.”
World No Tobacco Day is observed every May 31 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption worldwide.
