KATHMANDU, MAY 31 World No Tobacco Day 2026 is being observed across the globe today with calls to strengthen efforts against tobacco and nicotine addiction, particularly among children and adolescents. This year's theme, announced by the World Health Organization (WHO), is 'Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction.' The campaign aims to expose tactics used by tobacco and nicotine industries to attract young users through flavoured products, attractive packaging and misleading marketing strategies. According to WHO, around 40 million children aged 13 to 15 worldwide use at least one tobacco product. Of them, 20 million smoke cigarettes, 10 million use smokeless tobacco and around 15 million use e-cigarettes. WHO officials warned that aggressive promotion of e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and vaping products threatens progress made in global tobacco control efforts. In Nepal, Minister for Health and Food Safety Nisha Mehta urged tobacco users to quit smoking and vaping, stating that strong willpower, family support and professional counselling could help overcome addiction. In a message on the occasion, the Minister cautioned against the growing trend of e-cigarettes and vapes among youths, saying such products contain nicotine and other harmful substances. According to government data, around 29 percent of Nepal's population consumes tobacco products, while more than 39,000 people die annually from tobacco-related illnesses. Minister Mehta also called for stricter implementation of tobacco control laws and urged all stakeholders to work together to discourage tobacco use and regulate the marketing of nicotine products.