The World Health Organization’s Afghanistan office on Sunday urged stronger action against tobacco use, warning that tobacco and nicotine companies employ deceptive tactics to attract users and increase addiction.
Marking World No Tobacco Day, WHO Afghanistan said tobacco companies often use sweeteners, flavorings and cooling agents to mask the harshness of nicotine, making their products easier to consume and increasing the risk of dependency.
“Tobacco and nicotine companies deliberately design their products to hook you,” the organization said in a statement. “Sugars, flavours, and cooling agents all mask the harshness of nicotine so you inhale more and get dependent faster.”
The campaign is part of this year’s global World No Tobacco Day initiative, which focuses on exposing the tactics used by the tobacco industry to make harmful products more attractive, particularly to young people.
WHO Afghanistan said the industry conceals the dangers of tobacco use behind appealing flavors and marketing strategies.
“The tobacco industry hides lethal dangers behind deceptive tactics and sweet flavors,” the agency said. “Let us stand united, enforce smoke-free spaces, and safeguard every life.”
Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the WHO representative in Afghanistan, said protecting public health requires collective action.
“Protecting the people of Afghanistan from the harmful use of tobacco is a shared duty,” Salvador said. “To unmask the appeal of tobacco is to choose a future of health for Afghanistan.”
He added: “Let us stand together to safeguard and build smoke-free communities.”
The WHO has long identified tobacco use as one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide, linking it to cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke and chronic respiratory illnesses.
World No Tobacco Day, observed annually on May 31, aims to raise awareness of the health, social and economic consequences of tobacco use and encourage governments to strengthen tobacco-control measures.
WHO Afghanistan said reducing tobacco consumption and preventing nicotine addiction are critical steps toward improving public health and protecting future generations.
