① The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report saying that tobacco companies are inducing young people to smoke e-cigarettes through social media, sponsoring sports events and music festivals, and launching candy-flavored products; ② The WHO points out that flavors such as candy and fruit are key reasons why young people smoke e-cigarettes.
Finance Association, May 24 (Editor Xia Junxiong) On Thursday (May 23) local time, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report stating that tobacco companies are inducing young people to smoke e-cigarettes through social media, sponsoring sports events and music festivals, and launching candy-flavored products. The WHO accuses tobacco companies of trying to make a new generation addicted to nicotine.
As World No Tobacco Day on May 31 approaches, WHO is expanding its voice for young people, calling on governments to protect them from being targeted by the tobacco and nicotine industry.
According to the report, around 37 million young people aged 13 to 15 smoke tobacco globally, and in many countries, the proportion of young people smoking e-cigarettes even exceeds that of adults. In the WHO European region, 20% of 15-year-olds surveyed said they had smoked e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
According to WHO, despite significant global progress in reducing smoking rates, tobacco control faces new challenges, especially among young people, with the advent of e-cigarettes and other new tobacco and nicotine products. The organization cites a study saying that the advent of e-cigarettes has nearly tripled the consumption of traditional cigarettes.
According to the WHO, flavors such as candy and fruit are key reasons why young people use e-cigarettes. An American study shows that if the product only has a traditional tobacco flavor, more than 70% of young people who smoke e-cigarettes will choose to quit smoking.
Ruediger Krech, director of WHO's Health Promotion Department, said that the tobacco industry has adopted marketing strategies aimed at young people, such as marshmallow and bubble gum as flavors, combined with smooth and brightly colored toy-like designs, which are blatant attempts to make young people addicted to these harmful products.
Regarding the rich flavors of e-cigarettes, the tobacco industry argues that it is an important tool to encourage adults to quit smoking. However, according to the WHO, there isn't enough evidence that e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking.
WHO Director-General Tedros Tedros dismissed claims that the tobacco industry was working to reduce the harms of smoking and denounced the hypocrisy of tobacco companies.
WHO calls on national regulators to enact strong regulations to protect young people to ensure they are not dependent on tobacco products such as e-cigarettes.