Mumbai , May 30 : The World Health Organization theme for the World No Tobacco Day 2026 is “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction.” This global campaign aims to raise awareness about the evolving landscape of tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and synthetic nicotine devices, and how these products may appeal to children and adolescents through flavours, product design and digital social media promotion.
Electronic nicotine delivery products can adversely affect children’s and adolescents’ health by exposing them to nicotine and other harmful substances during critical stages of growth and brain development. Such exposure may affect attention, learning, memory and impulse control, increase the risk of nicotine dependence, and contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Aerosols from these products may contain substances associated with lung disease and other long-term health risks. Despite decades of progress in tobacco control, newer nicotine products continue to gain visibility through attractive flavours, appealing designs and online promotion. WHO estimates that at least 15 million adolescents aged 13–15 years globally use e-cigarettes, and in countries with available data, children are more likely than adults to vape.
India has been a leader in prohibiting E-cigarettes through the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act -2019. However, as reported on 21st May 20126 by Press Information Bureau , Govt. of India, nearly 3 lakh e-cigarettes and vapes worth more than INR 120 crore were seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence from a smuggling network operating across Maharashtra, Gujarat and other states.
The LifeFirst Programme, an initiative of Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation in collaboration with Salaam Bombay Foundation, is a tobacco dependence treatment programme working across schools, workplaces, healthcare settings and communities to support tobacco cessation and prevention among adolescents and adults.
As part of its school-based activities this year, LifeFirst sensitized more than 6,000 students in Grades 7 to 9 across 100 schools in Mumbai on the harms associated with tobacco, supari and other harmful products. During these sessions, e-cigarettes were observed to be used by adolescents, which are available through illegal routes. LifeFirst counsellors also observed that social media exposure, peer influence and perceptions of newer tobacco products as less harmful may contribute to experimentation among young people. Adolescents may perceive them as “cool”, fashionable, harmless or socially acceptable alternatives to conventional tobacco products. However, these products contain addictive nicotine and other potentially harmful substances that may pose health risks.
Protecting children and adolescents from nicotine addiction requires sustained awareness efforts, continued implementation of existing regulations, responsible communication around emerging nicotine products and engagement from parents, schools, communities and public health stakeholders.
On World No Tobacco Day 2026, Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation reiterates the importance of strengthening awareness and preventive efforts for children and adolescents to support healthier future of the country.
