TOBACCO-FREE CNY, MAY 30, 2025 – This year, Tobacco-Free CNY recognizes World No Tobacco Day on May 31st with the theme selected by the World Health Organization (WHO), “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.” World No Tobacco Day is a day set aside each year to focus on educating on the tactics used by the tobacco industry to make their harmful products seem attractive.
The attractiveness of tobacco, nicotine and related products, particularly to young audiences, remains one of the primary public health challenges. The tobacco industry uses flavors to make these products more appealing to youth and to mask the harshness of tobacco. Other tactics that are used include: glamorized marketing with sleek designs and colors promoted through digital media; deceptive designs used to mimic candies or sweets or by using the likeness of popular cartoon characters; and using coolants and additives to make their products easier to use, in hopes of leading to continued use and reducing the chance of quitting. All of these tactics increase the chance of early initiation of smoking, and potentially a lifelong addiction and serious health consequences.
Policy change is the most effective way to counter these strategies. By reducing access to flavors and setting restrictions on tobacco advertising seen in communities, we can work towards a healthier, tobacco-free future. World No Tobacco Day provides an opportunity for municipalities, employers, and property managers to reevaluate and strengthen their current tobacco policies. The Tobacco-Free CNY program, serving Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga Counties, assists community partners with the creation and implementation of tobacco-free policies.
By unmasking the strategies used by tobacco companies, we hope to shed light on the ways the industry markets addiction. For more information Tobacco-Free CNY programs, please visit our website at tobaccofreecny.org or call (315) 435-3280. For help with quitting, please call the New York State Quitline at 1-866-697-8487 or visit nysmokefree.com for more information.