The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on governments to urgently ban all flavours in cigarettes, pouches, hookahs, and e-cigarettes to protect youth from addiction and diseases.
According to WHO, flavours in tobacco and nicotine products have not only made it harder to quit but also have been linked to serious lung diseases. "Flavours like menthol, bubble gum, and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products, turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait," WHO says.
In a press statement, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, said flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction and should be banned. "They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control.
Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours," he noted.
