This year’s global theme highlights the need to expose how the industry promotes tobacco and nicotine products, especially e-cigarettes and vapes, among young people.

Sister Juandre Watson, Team Lead for Health Promotion and Risk Assessment at the foundation, warned that major tobacco companies are now using modern platforms such as social media and influencers to make smoking appear attractive and fashionable to the youth.

“You know, misleading messaging promotes e-cigarettes and similar products as safer alternatives, fostering a deceptive sense of security,” said Watson. “The big tobacco tactics, they target the youth and they strategically place their products near schools, targeting primary and secondary schools.”

Watson further revealed that over 68% of retailers display these products at a child's eye level, and more than half position them near sweets, deliberate strategies meant to attract young eyes and make the products seem less harmful or more appealing.

“These are quite disturbing insights that we have received regarding their marketing tactics,” Watson said. “Exposure to this kind of marketing almost doubles the likelihood of young people using these products.”

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--