Tobacco control playbook supplement: flavour bans are essential to protect young people from nicotine and tobacco products

Overview

The WHO European Region has made remarkable progress in tobacco control over recent decades, driven by the adoption and implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Yet, tobacco use and its devastating health consequences remain unacceptably high. The fight against tobacco is further complicated by the industry’s relentless efforts to undermine effective policies – deploying increasingly aggressive and deceptive strategies. To counter these tactics, policy-makers need clear, evidence-based arguments. In response to this need, the WHO Regional Office for Europe developed and published the Tobacco Control Playbook in 2019. Since 2019, the landscape of tobacco control has continued to evolve. More countries have strengthened their policies and successfully countered industry interference, while market shifts have introduced new tobacco and nicotine products, increasingly targeting young people. These developments underscore the need to update the Playbook with the latest evidence, experiences and good practices. This document showing how flavour bans are essential to protect young people from nicotine and tobacco products is a new argument under the Playbook umbrella.