World No Tobacco Day observed each year on 31 May and led by the World Health Organization, raises awareness of the harms caused by tobacco use and promotes actions to help people quit. The day highlights the global impact of smoking and other tobacco products on health, including links to serious conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illness, while also drawing attention to the benefits of living tobacco-free.

It’s an opportunity for individuals to reflect on their habits. Even small steps—like seeking advice, using stop-smoking services, or setting a quit date—can lead to long-term health improvements. World No Tobacco Day encourages everyone to take positive action towards a healthier future, helping to protect both personal wellbeing and the health of those around them.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the theme for World No Tobacco Day 2026: “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction.” The campaign will expose how the tobacco and nicotine industry continues to reinvent and repackage its products to hook a new generation, particularly children and adolescents, while evading stronger tobacco control measures worldwide.

In light of decades of progress in reducing tobacco use, the tobacco industry’s tactics remain relentless. Companies are aggressively marketing new and emerging nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and synthetic nicotine devices –  often disguised as “innovation” –  to sustain addiction and recruit new users. These strategies threaten to reverse hard-won gains in tobacco control and public health.

Startling new data reveal the scale of the crisis: at least 40 million children aged 13–15 globally report current use of at least one tobacco product. Of these, 20 million smoke cigarettes and 10 million use smokeless (oral/nasal) tobacco. Also, at least 15 million adolescents aged 13–15 years are already using e-cigarettes, and in countries with data, children are on average nine times more likely than adults to vape.

Find support to stop smoking at https://www.stopsmokingni.info