Ahead of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2026, WHO will host an online event exposing the tactics and strategies driving the market growth of nicotine pouches, which continue to lure adolescents and young adults into nicotine addiction. This event aligns closely with the theme of the 2026 WNTD, ‘Unmask the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction’ but will focus on nicotine pouches, which are becoming increasingly popular, with strong youth appeal and high addiction potential.
Children and young people are aggressively targeted with flavours, sleek packaging, digital marketing, social media promotion, influencer marketing and sponsorships of youth-oriented events, which position nicotine pouches as lifestyle products, rather than addictive and harmful.
This webinar will include highlights from WHO’s first global report on nicotine pouches and reveal how nicotine pouches are often marketed as cool, discreet and “tobacco-free”, spreading across countries so fast that regulation often lags behind. It will bring together different perspectives to unmask the appeal and marketing of nicotine pouches, share experiences associated with regulating these products and protecting the public – particularly, youth and non-users – from nicotine addiction and draw attention as to why urgent and coordinated action is needed.
This event will equip participants with new knowledge on nicotine pouches, and serves as a call for:
- governments – where not banned, to otherwise regulate nicotine pouches within comprehensive tobacco control frameworks, close loopholes, and prioritise public health over commercial interests;
- civil society organisations - to hold the industry accountable, advocate for strong policies, and amplify credible public health messaging;
- youth and youth organisations – to recognize and resist industry tactics that specifically target them and to protect their right to health; and
- other stakeholders – to stay informed of the tactics of tobacco and nicotine industries, and press for evidence-based policies to safeguard public health.
Urgent, coordinated and sustained action is necessary to safeguard current and future generations from nicotine addiction.
The webinar will be held in English with interpretation provided in Arabic, French and Spanish.
Everyone is welcome - questions can be posed online, on the registration page.