Lomé, 31 May 2025

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day 2025, the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) joins the international community in denouncing the increasingly aggressive tactics of the tobacco and nicotine industry, under the theme:
“Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products”.

This year’s theme sheds light on the deceptive strategies used by manufacturers to lure new consumers, especially young people, through “modernized” products, appealing messages, and collaborations with influencers. By tapping into trends in fashion, technology, and wellness, the industry conceals the very real dangers of its products.

ATCA reminds the public that these tactics are not new. They continue to evolve in order to bypass regulations, manipulate perceptions, and normalize risk. In the face of this, heightened vigilance is essential.

“The tobacco industry continues to innovate—not to protect health, but to safeguard its profits. It is our duty to expose its strategies, raise awareness, and take action to protect future generations,”
said Mrs. KODJO Kossiwa Epse KOUAMI, Acting Executive Secretary of ATCA.

ATCA calls for collective action focused on the following priorities:

• Strengthening regulations on all tobacco and nicotine-based products, including new products such as shisha, e-cigarettes, and nicotine pouches;
• Strict enforcement of advertising and promotion bans, particularly on social media and among young people;
• Raising public awareness about the real risks associated with these products, which are often wrongly marketed as harmless.

ATCA reaffirms its commitment to working alongside governments, civil society organizations, and technical partners for a tobacco-free Africa, where public health policies take precedence over commercial interests.

Unmask. Inform. Protect.

For media inquiries, please contact:
communication@atca-africa.org

The Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) is a pan-African, non-profit, and politically neutral network of civil society organizations headquartered in Lomé, Togo. With members in 39 countries, ATCA is dedicated to promoting public health and combating the tobacco epidemic across the continent. The alliance holds observer status at the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. ATCA also has special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC and is accredited as a regional non-state actor with WHO AFRO.

For more information, contact communication@atca-africa.org, or visit our website at www.atca-africa.org and our LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages: @africanotobacco