Public health experts have renewed calls for stronger tobacco control laws. They warn that smoking remains one of the world’s leading causes of preventable death. According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco claims more than eight million lives every year. That figure accounts for roughly one in every ten deaths globally. Of those, over seven million are direct smokers. Meanwhile, approximately 1.3 million non-smokers die prematurely from second-hand smoke exposure.

The warnings came in connection with World No Tobacco Day, observed annually on 31 May. The WHO issued a regional report highlighting the scale of the challenge facing governments across the Eastern Mediterranean.

Tobacco Control Laws Failing to Keep Pace With Industry Tactics

The WHO has identified Oman as one of only three countries in the region projected to see an increase in smoker numbers by 2030. Around 17 per cent of the Omani population carries a tobacco dependence, with expatriate communities from high-prevalence countries pushing that figure higher in certain demographics.

Dr Jawad Al Lawati, Head of Tobacco Control at Oman’s Ministry of Health, said the situation reflects a deliberate shift in industry tactics. He noted that sellers of tobacco and nicotine products are increasingly labelling their offerings as “novel.” This framing, he said, directly contradicts national tobacco regulation policy.

“Global tobacco control policies, government interventions, and public awareness campaigns have contributed to declining smoking rates worldwide,” Dr Al Lawati said. “In response, the tobacco industry has shifted toward alternative nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, prioritising market survival over public health.”

He added: “While products have evolved, the industry’s strategy remains the same. It is about sustaining nicotine addiction, expanding consumer bases, and adapting to stronger tobacco control measures under the guise of innovation. This needs to be checked immediately.”

Youth Tobacco Use at Crisis Point Across the Eastern Mediterranean

The Eastern Mediterranean already records some of the highest rates of youth tobacco use in the world. An estimated 5.5 million children aged 13 to 15 across the region currently use tobacco products. That figure highlights how early exposure locks young people into lifelong nicotine addiction. Consequently, experts say, adolescents who start using tobacco rank among the hardest to reach with cessation support later in life.

Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said the scale of youth uptake is not coincidental. “This is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate strategies: flavours that mask harshness, attractive packaging, and digital marketing that normalises use,” she said.

She further warned that weak tobacco regulation compounds the problem. “Combined with weak regulation, enforcement gaps, and persistent industry interference, these tactics are driving a growing and evolving epidemic,” Dr Balkhy added.

How the Industry Exploits Gaps in Tobacco Regulation

Experts pointed to a recognisable pattern. The tobacco industry tends to reposition itself whenever tobacco control laws begin to have an effect. Manufacturers market products as cleaner or safer alternatives to retain existing users while drawing in new, younger consumers. Indeed, flavoured products and attractive packaging work most effectively on adolescents who might otherwise avoid traditional cigarettes.

Public health advocates argue that robust tobacco regulation must treat all nicotine delivery products equally. Old and new products alike should fall within the same coordinated policy response. Moreover, allowing alternative products to operate in a legislative grey area hands the industry a mechanism to undermine the intent of existing controls.

The WHO’s call for stronger tobacco control laws extends to advertising bans, plain packaging requirements, and price and tax measures. Additionally, restrictions on point-of-sale displays rank among the most essential tools available to policymakers. Together, these measures aim to reduce the visibility and accessibility of tobacco products to young people.

Prevention, Not Tolerance, Must Drive Tobacco Policy

Health professionals speaking at events surrounding World No Tobacco Day argued that countries with the strongest outcomes share a consistent approach. They treat tobacco as a product that requires prevention-focused policy rather than harm-managed tolerance.

With 5.5 million children across the Eastern Mediterranean already using tobacco, the window for effective intervention is narrowing. Furthermore, Oman faces projected increases in its smoker population by 2030. Experts say that how governments strengthen tobacco control laws over the coming years will ultimately determine whether the next generation is healthier than the last, or whether current trends deepen into a lasting public health crisis.

Source: omanobserver