31 May marks World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) – an annual occasion that brings together governments, health organizations, civil society and youth worldwide to raise awareness of the harms caused by tobacco and nicotine and promote effective measures to protect health.
Building on momentum
Over the past years, WNTD has consistently focused on protecting children and young people from the tobacco and nicotine industries.
Building on this momentum, the 2027 campaign, “Mental well-being – protecting young minds from tobacco and nicotine”, places tobacco control within the broader effort to promote the health and well-being of younger generations. It highlights the impact of tobacco and nicotine use on mental well-being, particularly among children and young people, and challenges misleading narratives that present nicotine and tobacco products as ways to cope with stress, anxiety or everyday pressures.
The campaign also:
- empowers people by providing them with evidence-based information and prevention strategies;
- promotes accessible, evidence-based cessation and other relevant health services; and
- encourages governments and partners to strengthen policies and programmes that protect young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction and support those who want to quit.
Need for stronger policies to protect youth in the WHO European Region
The WHO European Region continues to face a high burden of adolescent tobacco use. Approximately 11.6% (around 4 million) of 13–15-year-olds use tobacco (11.8% of boys and 11.4% of girls, roughly 2 million each). The Region has the highest global prevalence of adolescent cigarette smoking (8.4%) and the highest prevalence among adolescent girls (8.7%).
Use of nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches is increasing rapidly. The European Region reports the highest global average prevalence of e-cigarette use among adolescents aged 13–15 years at 14.3%, with similar rates among boys (13.6%) and girls (15%).
Policy gaps leave young people particularly vulnerable. WHO data from 2024 show that only 7 countries in the Region ban all e-cigarette flavours, while 5 have no age restrictions on sales; 8 countries have no restrictions on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, 19 have partial bans, and 10 do not regulate e-cigarette use in public places. These gaps can expose young people to targeted marketing and product designs intended to sustain nicotine addiction.
Challenging misleading messages about nicotine and mental well-being
The European Region faces a growing mental health challenge among children and young people. One in 7 children and adolescents aged 0–19 years lives with a mental health condition, and this proportion is increasing over time. The burden is particularly high among adolescent girls, with 1 in 4 females aged 15–19 years living with a mental health condition.
Against this backdrop, mental health, wellness and self-care are becoming increasingly important to young people, while the tobacco and nicotine industries are seeking to position their products within this space. Tobacco companies are expanding into businesses described as “well-being”, “wellness and health care” and “beyond nicotine”, echoing decades of misleading marketing that associated tobacco and nicotine with relaxation, pleasure and stress relief.
For young people facing academic pressures, social media, relationships and uncertainty about the future, messages suggesting that nicotine can help them cope can be particularly powerful and misleading. While nicotine may provide temporary relief, it can lead to addiction, with withdrawal causing irritability, anxiety and cravings, and driving repeated use to relieve these symptoms or aggravated mental health symptoms. Nicotine exposure during adolescence can also affect the developing brain and is associated with nicotine dependence and negative mental health outcomes.
Conversely, quitting tobacco is associated with improved mental well-being – including reduced stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, better sleep, and improved quality of life.
WNTD 2027 provides an opportunity to challenge misconceptions about tobacco and nicotine, protect young people from industry influence, and strengthen environments that support both physical and mental well-being.