WHO released "Hooking the Next Generation: How the Tobacco industry captures young customers” Report | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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WHO released "Hooking the Next Generation: How the Tobacco industry captures young customers” Report

Posted 31 May 2024

2 min read

Report was jointly released by World Health Organization (WHO) and STOP, a global tobacco industry watchdog to mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on 31st May.

  • WNTB Theme for 2024: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference.

Key findings

  • Globally, an estimated 37 million children aged 13–15 years use tobacco.
  • 85% of 15–30-year olds were exposed to electronic-cigarette advertising across multiple media platforms. 
    • Electronic-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that produce aerosol by heating a solution containing nicotine, which is addictive substance in combustible cigarettes.

Why Tobacco Industry is targeting youth?

  • To find replacement consumers and generate a lifetime of profits.
  • Lack of understanding regarding repercussions of smoking and peer influence gets them easily addicted to tobacco consumption.

Tactics used by Tobacco Industry to target youth

  • Releasing new products like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches etc.
  • Lowering prices of disposable e-cigarettes, engaging in “buy one, get one free” promotions.
  • Marketing in digital spaces, including gaming platforms etc.

Impact of Tobacco Consumption

  • Kills more than 8 million people each year due to risk of heart disease, lung disorders, cancer etc.
  • As per WHO, smoking costs world's economies more than US$ 1 trillion annually in healthcare expenditure and lost productivity.

 

Initiatives taken to control Tobacco Consumption

  • India: National Tobacco Control Programme, Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 etc.
  • GlobalWHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 2003 (India ratified it in 2004), WHO’s MPOWER measures (refer image) etc.
  • Tags :
  • e-Cigarette
  • World No Tobacco Day
  • Tobacco Consumption
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