World No Tobacco Day 2026 to focus on countering nicotine and tobacco addiction

The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed annually on May 31. The 2026 campaign theme is "Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction." The World Health Organization (WHO) is focusing on exposing how the tobacco industry targets children and adolescents with flavored vapes, synthetic nicotine, and slick digital marketing.

The WHO has stressed the need for 'bringing together governments, health organizations, civil society and youth from around the world to raise awareness of the threats of tobacco use and the tactics used by the tobacco industry, and to promote effective measures to end nicotine and tobacco addiction.'

The 2026 campaign of the WHO  aims the following action:

• Expose the industry’s strategies – including the use of synthetic nicotine, nicotine salts and analogues designed to enhance addiction potential while being marketed as innovative or even less harmful;

• Promote stronger policy action – through bans on flavours, advertising and promotion (including digital and social media), and through stricter regulation of packaging and product design that increase youth appeal; and

• Empower youth and the public – by providing knowledge and tools to recognize and resist industry influence and by ensuring access to evidence-based cessation support.

My strategy is to include teach it as a part of 'addiction-free life skill education' as promoted on the internet (see inset clipping)