WHO vs. Smokers: World No Tobacco Day Misses the Mark on Adult Smoking Cessation Once Again
Time:2025-06-06
Views:33
As the World Health Organization (WHO) marked the 37th annual World No Tobacco Day on May
31st, the global spotlight was once again on the tobacco industry’s influence over youth.
This year’s campaign, under the banner of protecting young people, underscored the WHO’s
continued focus on shielding the next generation from tobacco addiction. While youth
protection is undeniably important, critics argue that this singular focus comes at the
expense of the 1.3 billion adults who still smoke—and who deserve access to less harmful
alternatives.
Protecting youth shouldn’t mean abandoning adults
The issue is not that youth protection is unworthy of attention, but rather that it has
become the dominant lens through which all nicotine-related policy is evaluated. This has
led to the marginalization of adult smokers who struggle to quit and might benefit from
switching to reduced-risk products like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco
devices. These tools—designed in response to consumer demand (not industry manipulation
as geenraly portrayed by anti-THR groups)—have shown promise in real-world contexts, even
as global health authorities continue to deny their potential.
At the heart of the debate lies a growing disconnect between evidence and policy. WHO and
its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), including decisions made during the
recent COP10 summit, have largely ignored or outright dismissed tobacco harm reduction.
Instead, the narrative continues to center on abstinence-only approaches. Even as
countries like Sweden, Japan, and the UK report drops in smoking rates correlating with
increased access to vaping, the WHO remains staunchly opposed to their use.
This institutional resistance is reflected in policies that increasingly restrict access
to safer nicotine alternatives. Flavoured vapes are particularly targeted, often cited as
a gateway for youth use. However, recent data indicates that youth vaping rates have
actually significantly declined from their 2019 highs, especially in the U.S., Canada, and
the UK. More importantly, research suggests that many teens who vape do so as a coping
mechanism for stress and anxiety, not because of appealing flavours alone. Yet health
authorities remain focused on removing access to these products, rather than addressing
these root causes fuelling their use.
Misinformation about vaping has become a global issue, not confined to the WHO. Government
agencies, advocacy groups, and media outlets regularly cite unverified or non-peer-
reviewed studies, often using alarming headlines to sway public opinion. In 2024 alone,
two unpublished studies falsely linking vaping to severe health risks, made the rounds on
popular news sites. Such claims generate panic long before scientific scrutiny can catch
up.
Classic myths, like the thoroughly debunked claim that vaping causes “popcorn lung,”
continue to be regurgitated. Other recent fabrications allege that vapour contains toxic
chemicals comparable to antifreeze or that vaping leads directly to cancer. These
misrepresentations overshadow the growing body of evidence that shows vaping, while not
risk-free, is significantly less harmful than smoking—and, crucially, an effective tool
for many smokers to quit.
The consequences of misinformation are profound. Several countries have enacted bans or
punitive regulations based on distorted science. In some instances, regulatory language
conflates vaping with smoking, erasing the clear scientific distinction between combustion
and vapourization. This confusion fuels stigma and undermines harm reduction efforts.
Meanwhile, youth smoking rates—an important and often overlooked metric—continue to
plummet, a public health victory rarely acknowledged in anti-vaping discourse.
From policy failure to firebombed stores
Another unintended consequence of harsh regulations is a resurgence in black market
activity or even relapse into smoking. For example, Australia’s strict anti-vaping
measures and soaring tobacco taxes have fueled a $5 billion illegal tobacco and vape
market. Investigative reports reveal that criminal gangs now dominate this trade, using
violence, arson, and threats, with nearly 200 stores being firebombed in under two years.
While intended to reduce smoking, the policies have backfired, driving smokers to the
black market. Consequently, government tobacco tax revenues are projected to fall from
$16.8 billion in 2019 to $6.4 billion by 2028, exposing a costly policy failure.
But in the face of adversity, the global tobacco harm reduction community is not
retreating—it is growing stronger. Grassroots advocates, many of them former smokers, are
challenging the status quo. Their efforts are turning the tide in countries across the
globe, and while incremental, these vicories are critical milestones. They affirm that
when consumers speak out, armed with science, lived experience, and determination, policy
can evolve. World Vape Day 2025 was not just a celebration of cessation. It was a
declaration: that adult smokers matter, that harm reduction is a human right, and that
truth must ultimately prevail over fear.
As the world prepares for COP11 and beyond, the message from the harm reduction community
is clear: inclusion, compassion, and science must guide the future of tobacco control. It
’s time to stop choosing between protecting youth and helping adults. We can, and must,
do both.
Email
Chat Now
