On World No Tobacco Day, the WHO FCTC has once again demanded a ban on flavours in all nicotine products, claiming these ingredients increase product attractiveness. This move, announced on a day meant to promote public health, highlights just how out of touch the WHO FCTC remains with both the science and the real-world experiences of millions of former smokers. Flavours are not about targeting youth—they are a vital tool that helps adult smokers successfully switch to safer alternatives and break free from cigarettes.

When policymakers ban flavours, people do not simply quit nicotine. Instead, many return to smoking or turn to the black market, making public health outcomes worse, not better. International data consistently show that flavour bans increase cigarette smoking rates among both adults and youth. Rather than protecting public health, these bans risk undoing years of progress in tobacco harm reduction. The unintended consequences are clear: less access to appealing, reduced-risk products means more people stick with or revert to smoking.

For millions of adult smokers, flavours are not a gimmick—they are a crucial part of quitting for good. Research and testimonials from former smokers repeatedly show that non-tobacco flavours help people distance themselves from the taste of cigarettes, making relapse less likely. By offering a variety of flavours, vaping and nicotine pouch products become more attractive alternatives, increasing the chances of a successful switch away from cigarettes.

The WHO FCTC fails to recognise the risk continuum: not all nicotine products are equal. Combustible tobacco is deadly, while vaping and nicotine pouches are dramatically less harmful. The method of nicotine consumption matters far more than the substance itself. Flavours play a crucial role in helping smokers make that life-saving switch. By calling for a flavour ban, the FCTC is undermining harm reduction and making it harder for smokers to quit.

Instead of following the evidence, the WHO FCTC clings to outdated ideology. Countries that support flavours and harm reduction—like Sweden and the UK—have seen smoking rates plummet, while those that ban flavours see slower progress and more harm. The FCTC’s ignorance is costing lives and preventing millions from accessing safer alternatives. Ignoring the science and the voices of consumers only serves to protect the cigarette market, not public health.

In stark contrast, World Vape Day is a celebration of innovation, harm reduction, and the power of consumer choice. It highlights the success stories of those who have quit smoking thanks to vaping and flavours, and calls for policies that support, not restrict, access to reduced-risk products. While the WHO FCTC uses World No Tobacco Day to push prohibition, the global vaping community uses World Vape Day to champion evidence-based solutions that save lives.

It is time for the WHO FCTC to listen to science and consumers. Flavour bans do not save lives—they push people back to smoking and fuel illicit markets. We must defend adult choice, support harm reduction, and demand evidence-based policy that truly helps end smoking. Policymakers should focus on what works: empowering smokers to switch to less harmful products, not restricting their options.