Dublin/New Delhi:
Tobacco and e-cigarette (vape) companies around the world are now avoiding traditional advertising rules and attracting youth to smoking and vaping through digital mediums like metaverse, gaming, and NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
This shocking revelation has been made in a report presented at the World Conference on Tobacco Control, which has been published by Britain’s famous website The Guardian.
ЁЯОо Metaverse and gaming become new weapons:
The report states that vaping brands are now sponsoring online games and tobacco companies are reaching out to young audiences through digital tokens and virtual events тАФ and all this is happening in an online world where regulations and monitoring are very limited.
ЁЯУК Research Project: “Canary”
This research has been prepared under Project Canary run by a public health organization called Vital Strategies. Its purpose is to warn the world about new and emerging public health problems in time.
Dr Melina Magsambol, who is with Vital Strategies in India, says:
“Tobacco companies are no longer waiting for governments to stop them. They are way ahead of us.
We are just starting to understand the world of social media and they are openly advertising on unregulated platforms like the metaverse.”
ЁЯЗоЁЯЗ│ Advertising through NFTs in India
A major tobacco company in India released an NFT (a token representing ownership of a digital asset) on its 93rd anniversary, which was also promoted on social media.
The Canary project is currently analysing tobacco advertising on social media and news websites in India, Indonesia and Mexico and is now being extended to other countries like Brazil, China. It will now include the promotion of other products like alcohol and junk food.
ЁЯУ▒ Glamour vs. Poison on Social Media
Dr. Melina Magsambol said in an interview with SciDev.Net:
“Social media is the hub of today’s young generation тАФ and the tobacco industry has shifted its advertising strategy in that direction.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube are indirectly glamorizing tobacco, which bypasses policy loopholes.”
тШая╕П Deadly Truth
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2025 report, tobacco kills about 8 million people every year, with the greatest impact being seen in low-income countries.
ЁЯФН Disclaimer:
This article is based on reliable reports and public health research. It does not copy the original language, style or structure of any media source. This is a completely independent article