World No Tobacco Day 2024

Protecting children from tobacco industry interference

World No Tobacco Day 2024 will give a platform to young people across the world, who are calling for the tobacco industry to stop targeting them with products that are harmful to their health. Young people globally are calling on governments to adopt policies that shield them from the manipulative practices of tobacco and related industries, including the relentless marketing of their dangerous products through social media and streaming platforms.

Key facts

There are 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide. Tobacco kills around 8 million people every year (more than 7 million active smokers and over 1 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke), including 1 million in the Americas. The life expectancy of smokers is at least ten years less than that of non-smokers.

Tobacco is the only legal consumer product that kills up to half of its users when used exactly as intended by the manufacturer. Tobacco companies spent over 8 billion dollars on marketing and advertising.

Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes at least double their chance of smoking cigarettes later in life.