30 June 2026, PHF, Yangon: World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the 31st May of every year as the “World No Tobacco Day” (WNTD), to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Within the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), Myanmar has adopted a national tobacco control law, namely, “the Control of Smoking and Consumption of Tobacco Product Law” in 2006.
The theme of this year, that WHO has launched a year-long global campaign for the WNTD 2025, is: “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products”.
The People’s Health Foundation, since its inception, has been at the forefront for the prevention and control of use of tobacco and tobacco products, by raising awareness and advocating control measures and policies, within the framework of national legislation on control of tobacco. PHF has published its annual magazine for WNTD 2025 in June 2026.
This year WNTD campaign aims to raise awareness: Inform the public on how industry tactics manipulate the appearance and appeal of tobacco and nicotine products; advocate for policy change; measures to ban flavours and additives that make these products more appealing; complete bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, including on digital platforms; and regulation of the design of the products and their packages to make them less appealing; Reduce demand: Exposing these tactics aims to reduce demand, particularly among youth, ultimately lowering their exposure to nicotine and tobacco products.
WHO stands with young people globally, who have begged the industry to stop interfering with health policies and to stop targeting them with new harmful products, while promising a better future.
It is hoped that this would raise awareness of the public and policy makers and also urge them to join WNTD awareness-raising campaigns, including through social media, to amplify messages and advice that Myanmar has to accelerate tobacco control efforts as part of their responses to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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