E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are now officially part of the Western Pacific's tobacco control agenda. At its 77th Regional Committee session in Manila, the World Health Organization's regional office endorsed a new action plan that explicitly calls out aggressive marketing of these products to young people.
The session ran from 19 to 22 October 2026 and brought together health ministers and more than 200 other participants, representing 2.2 billion people, over a quarter of the world's population. The endorsed plan, titled "Accelerating Progress towards the 2030 Tobacco Control Target in the Western Pacific Region", tackles tobacco industry interference in policy-making alongside youth-focused campaigns for newer nicotine products.
"While all these steps outlined across the four priority areas build on existing WHO frameworks, our Member States have recognized the urgency in addressing significant gaps and challenges undermining health and well-being," said Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
The plan in brief
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Session | 77th WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, Manila |
| Dates | 19 to 22 October 2026 |
| Plan endorsed | Accelerating Progress towards the 2030 Tobacco Control Target in the Western Pacific Region |
| Focus areas | Industry interference in policy-making; marketing of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches to youth |
| Regional target | 30% relative reduction in tobacco use prevalence by 2030 |
The scale of the problem explains the urgency. Tobacco causes an estimated 3 million deaths annually in the region, and most countries are not currently on track to meet the 30% reduction target by 2030.
Beyond tobacco
The same session also endorsed plans covering hypertension control and immunization, along with new guidelines for responsible AI in health.
What this does not mean
This is an endorsed action plan, not binding legislation. It announces no vape ban, no new tax, and no specific national law. Member states will decide individually how far they take the recommendations. Still, it marks one of the first WHO regional tobacco plans in years to name e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches as a youth marketing concern in its own right.
For vapers watching regulation elsewhere, our guide to UK vape tax plans breaks down London's upcoming duty. And for context on relative harm, see our comparison of smoking versus vaping.
Source: World Health Organization.