The public organization "Life", with the support of the non-profit scientific organization "Vital Strategies", in cooperation with the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, is implementing the social information campaign "Bright Products - Dark Intentions" during May-August 2025.
The campaign aims to raise public awareness of the tobacco industry's aggressive marketing strategies, with a particular focus on protecting children and young people, who remain the primary target audience for tobacco marketing.
According to the results of a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (February-March 2025), 311% of Ukrainians use tobacco or nicotine products. The situation among young people aged 18-29 is especially alarming: almost half (451%) are consumers.
Compared to 2024 (33%), this share increased by 36%. One of the factors behind the increase in tobacco and nicotine consumption was the aggressive promotion of heated tobacco products (HTTPs)*. Thus, 37% of young smokers aged 18-29 years use heated tobacco products, and 75% of young people report being exposed to advertising for HTTPs and devices for their use. And according to the results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in Ukraine, over 5 years in Ukraine there has been a noticeable increase in the consumption of tobacco and nicotine products among adolescents aged 13-15 years: 18% of children consume tobacco products (an increase of 18% compared to 2017), including 7% who use HTTPs.
Overcoming tobacco addiction is an integral part of achieving Goal 3 of the Demographic Development Strategy of Ukraine until 2040 - "Reducing premature mortality and improving the health of the population.".
*Electrically heated tobacco products (HETP) are tobacco products used with electronic devices for heating tobacco (in Ukraine, in particular, represented by the brands IQOS, glo, Ploom).