26 May 2026
By Va Vireaksa and Phoung Yadane – Cambodianess
PHNOM PENH — As World No Tobacco Day on May 31 approaches, many young people in Cambodia are becoming increasingly alarmed by how tobacco and nicotine products are being repackaged to target our generation.
As young Cambodians advocating against tobacco use, we see through the marketing. Behind the trendy packaging and social media appeal is an industry still profiting from addiction and long-term illness.
This year’s World No Tobacco Day theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” feels deeply relevant to what we are witnessing around us. Tobacco companies continue looking at young people as the next wave of consumers as older smokers fall sick or die.
Although public awareness about smoking has improved, nicotine products are evolving faster than regulations and health education campaigns can keep up. For many of us, this is no longer just a public health discussion. It is about protecting our friends, classmates and younger siblings from an industry that continues to put profits before people.
The Statistics of a Crisis
Tobacco control statistics in Cambodia are more than just numbers, they reveal a public health crisis. While Cambodia has made strides by ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), enforcement remains a steep uphill climb. The data reveals a concerning trend:
— According to the Ministry of Health’s recent research, approximately 1.6 million Cambodians use tobacco products.
— Tobacco use among youth is a major concern; according to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), the prevalence of current tobacco use among students aged 13–15 in Cambodia is 3.5 percent.
— Annual healthcare costs and productivity losses due to tobacco-related diseases cost the Cambodian economy 2.7 trillion riels (about $663 million), vastly outweighing the tax revenue generated by the industry.
While global smoking rates decline, the industry in Cambodia continues to reinvent its “appeal” through digital reels, aggressive point-of-sale advertising near schools, and handouts framed as “socially responsible” efforts of a deadly industry that masks the true cost of addiction. Moreover, there is a normalization through the sales of tobacco through local vendors, shops, and supermarkets.
At the community level, the normalization of tobacco is especially concerning. In many neighborhoods, it is common to see cigarettes sold in small, family-run shops on nearly every street, making tobacco easy to access and difficult to avoid, especially for the youth.
From Passive Victims to Essential Partners
To truly “unmask” the industry, society must stop viewing youth as passive victims and start treating us as essential partners in policy-making. We are the ones targeted by the industry’s digital tactics and “cool” branding; therefore, our lived experiences are vital to dismantling their influence.
Supporting youth-led advocacy means empowering us to hold local authorities accountable, ensuring that smoke-free environments, from the bustling streets of Phnom Penh to the rural provinces of Siem Reap and Battambang, are strictly enforced.
We, as youths and victims of the tobacco industry, should be encouraged to stand up and fight the manipulation of the tobacco industry that aims to profit at the expense of our health. We are not just victims; we are survivors fighting for a better life and society.
An Issue of Economic Stability
In Cambodia, tobacco control is a fundamental requirement for household and national economic survival. Tobacco use disproportionately affects the poor; tobacco users in low-income households often spend a significant portion of their daily earnings on cigarettes, diverting funds away from essential nutrition and education for their children.
Despite existing policies, tobacco products remain affordable due to limited and infrequent tax increases, allowing consumption to persist, particularly among youth.
By supporting youth advocates, the government isn’t just protecting “kids”; it is protecting the human capital necessary for Cambodia’s sustainable development goals.
Our Call to Action
This World No Tobacco Day, we call on the Cambodian government and civil society to stop talking about us and start working with us. Supporting the youth means:
— Strict Enforcement: Ensuring a total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS), including in the digital sphere.
— Tax Reform: Significantly increasing tobacco excise taxes to make products less affordable for minors. Cambodia currently has one of the lowest tobacco tax rates in the ASEAN region.
— Protection from Tobacco Industry Interference: Strictly implementing FCTC Article 5.3 to protect public health policies from the commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry.
These actions are not only necessary, but are also going to direct Cambodia into completely eliminating tobacco and nicotine harms. Cambodia is already showing the conditions needed to move forward toward a tobacco endgame. Cigarette consumption shows decline, Cambodia has also banned e-cigarettes already.
At the same time, tobacco control governance is steadily improving, Article 5.3 implementation is being strengthened, and political willingness to enhance tobacco control is present. Civil society engagement is also growing, with youth advocates like us beginning to organize and participate more actively in tobacco control advocacy.
This means our country is not starting from zero, it is standing at a critical window where decisive action can prevent a future epidemic rather than manage one.
Together, we can build a Cambodia where future generations grow up nicotine free, with the opportunity to thrive and contribute to the nation’s progress.
Va Vireaksa and Phoung Yadane are Cambodian Youth Ambassadors working with a wider ASEAN network campaigning against the normalization of the tobacco industry. The regional campaign is led by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, with local support in Cambodia from the Cambodia Movement for Health.