World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day 2026
Theme – Unmasking the appeal: Countering nicotine and tobacco addiction
The World Health Organization (WHO) designates 31st May of every year as the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The theme of WNTD 2026 is “Unmasking the appeal: Countering nicotine and tobacco addictions”, revealing how the tobacco and nicotine industry develops new products to hook the next generation while evading tobacco control measures worldwide, which have been strengthened over time.
Half of smokers die from smoking-related diseases. Recruiting new smokers to replace the millions of smokers who die or quit smoking every year and dissuading smokers from quitting are important strategies of the tobacco and nicotine industries to maintain profits. Nicotine products disguised as “innovation” such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), nicotine pouches and synthetic nicotine products are developed to sustain addiction and recruit new nicotine users. These harmful products attract young people with flavours, slick packaging and misleading marketing. In 2023, 40 million adolescents aged 13-15 years worldwide were current users of any tobacco products, and at least 15 million were current e-cigarette users.
Extending the theme of WNTD 2025, WNTD 2026 aims to:
- Reveal how the tobacco and nicotine industries increase addiction potential of products with synthetic nicotine and nicotine salts, etc. while making the products appear technologically advanced
- Advocate for bans on flavours, tobacco advertising and promotion, and regulation of product designs that increase appeal
- Prevent nicotine addiction and reduce demand by equipping the public with knowledge to resist industry manipulation, and ensuring access to evidence-based cessation support
Please visit the WHO website for more information of WNTD 2026.
The themes of WNTD in recent years: