Unmasking Tobacco's Global Health Threat

M A Hossain,

Each year on May 31, the world observes World No Tobacco Day, a vital occasion to confront one of the most preventable global health threats. Launched by the World Health Organization in 1988, the initiative mobilized action against the tobacco industry’s deadly influence. The 2025 theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products,” reveals how tobacco companies continue to lure young consumers and entrench addiction under the guise of modernity and choice.

Tobacco remains a global killer, claiming over 8 million lives annually and causing untold suffering through diseases like cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory conditions. The toll is not limited to smokers—secondhand smoke endangers millions more, especially children and non-smoking adults. Despite its enormous health burden, tobacco still enjoys legal status in nearly every country, revealing a deadly disconnect between policy and public well-being.

The tobacco industry is far from dormant. While traditional advertising is restricted in many nations, companies have adapted with stealth. They exploit social media, influencer culture, and digital marketing to cast smoking and vaping as symbols of independence, rebellion, and style. These tactics specifically target youth—through flavors, gadget-like devices, and aspirational branding—seeding addiction early and deepening long-term dependency.

E-cigarettes and flavored vapes, often sold as “harm reduction” tools, only muddy the waters. With bright packaging and sweetened flavors, they appeal directly to teenagers and young adults. Many of these products operate in regulatory gray zones, undermining hard-won gains in tobacco control.

Beyond health, the damage extends to the environment and society. Tobacco cultivation depletes soil, consumes vast water resources, and contributes to deforestation. Pesticide-heavy farming pollutes ecosystems, while discarded cigarette filters litter cities and beaches. Economically, tobacco compounds poverty. It disproportionately affects low-income communities, both as consumers and laborers, perpetuating cycles of illness and financial hardship.

Over the years, countries have embraced the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, banning public smoking, mandating warning labels, and restricting advertising. But implementation gaps persist. Weak enforcement and legal loopholes allow the industry to thrive, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where health systems are least equipped to respond.

Protecting future generations demands urgent, coordinated action. Governments must impose significant taxes on all tobacco and nicotine products, especially low-cost variants that remain accessible to youth and the poor. Revenue from these taxes should fund prevention campaigns and healthcare.

Equally crucial is education. Schools, communities, and families must equip young people with the tools to resist tobacco’s false glamour. Religious figures, celebrities, and civic leaders can reshape norms by framing tobacco use as a moral, economic, and environmental issue.

World No Tobacco Day 2025 is more than a campaign—it’s a call for justice. The fight against tobacco is a fight for life, equity, and sustainability. Unmasking the industry’s tactics and confronting its influence is not only possible—it is essential.

M A Hossain, political and defense analyst based in Bangladesh. He can be reached at: writetomahossain@gmail.com

   This article published at :

1. Pakistan Observer, Pak : 31 May, 25