World No Tobacco Day: A Misguided Campaign Against Harm Reduction

May 31 marks the 38th annual World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), a global public health campaign initiated by the World Health Organization. Its goal is to “draw attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes.”

The False Narrative of WNTD

While the reduction of smoking-related illnesses is critical, WNTD has increasingly become a platform for misinformation, especially about nicotine and tobacco harm reduction (THR) products. This year’s theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine,” suggests that the tobacco and nicotine industries use “carefully engineered products and deceptive tactics to hook a new generation of users.” The WHO claims that flavors exist only to entice children and teens into addiction.

Ignoring Reality

This narrative ignores growing evidence. For instance, youth vaping is on the decline, even as flavored products have become more available. In the United States, youth vaping reached historical lows in 2024. Since 2019, youth usage has consistently fallen. Interestingly, during this time, sales of flavored vapor products surged.

Furthermore, survey data shows that youth don’t primarily cite flavors as the reason for vaping. In 2021, less than 14 percent of middle and high school vapers reported flavors as a motivation for use. Instead, 43.4 percent indicated they vaped to cope with anxiety, depression, or stress.

Conversely, flavors are crucial tools for adults trying to quit smoking. A 2016 study found that adult e-cigarette users who preferred flavored products reported higher satisfaction than those using tobacco flavors. Many participants leaned towards non-tobacco flavors, such as fruit, menthol, candy, or coffee. Similarly, a Harm Reduction Journal survey found that flavors like fruit, dessert, and candy led the preferences for new adult vapers.

The importance of these findings is underscored by national statistics. According to the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 7.7 percent of U.S. adults (20.2 million people) used e-cigarettes in 2023 — a staggering 67.9 percent increase from 2016.

The Increase in E-cigarette Sales

Data on sales also paints an intriguing picture. A 2024 study from the CDC Foundation and Truth Initiative reported a 47 percent rise in e-cigarette sales between 2019 and 2023, with flavored products accounting for 80 percent of sales. Despite this increase, youth vaping has decreased by 61.5 percent during the same period.

Harm Reduction's Role

E-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine pouches have proven to help adults quit smoking. The FDA has even authorized several of these products, labeling them as “appropriate for the protection of public health.” Recently, in January, the FDA approved the sale of various nicotine pouches in appealing, non-traditional flavors like cinnamon, citrus, and spearmint.

Despite these positive developments, WHO and other organizations continue their fight against harm reduction. In 2023, WHO called for a global ban on flavored vapes and urged countries to regulate them like combustible cigarettes. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, partnering with WHO, has also wrongly asserted a “nationwide crisis of youth addiction” driven by flavored products.

A Disservice to Public Health

These campaigns overlook the significant drop in youth vaping and the actual reasons driving young people's choices. The continual focus on youth is politically advantageous but neglects the over 1 billion adults worldwide who smoke. These adults deserve access to safer alternatives, not fear-based campaigns that disregard scientific evidence.

World No Tobacco Day was once a meaningful initiative aimed at combatting smoking. It has now turned into a vehicle for nicotine prohibition and misinformation. If the WHO wants to reduce smoking-related deaths and diseases, it must recognize the life-saving role that harm reduction and flavored products play for adult smokers.

Conclusion

Anything less is a disservice to global public health. Embracing accurate data and considering the adult smoking population can lead to more effective strategies in the fight against tobacco-related harm.

Originally published in Inside Sources.