PAHO/WHO partners with the Ministry of Health & Wellness, to commemorate for the World No Tobacco Day 2026 under the theme “Unmasking the appeal – countering nicotine and tobacco addiction” – Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

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Belize City, Belize, May 29, 2026 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization PAHO/WHO, in collaboration with the National Drug Abuse Control Council (NDACC), Ministry of Health and Wellness conducted the first National Tobacco Control Youth Forum under the theme “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction”. The forum brought together youths from across the Belize District, with student representation from the Department of Youth Services, St. John’s College High School, Nazarene High School, Gwen Lizarraga High School, and the Institute for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVET). Students were accompanied by guidance counsellors and teachers, who actively participated throughout the sessions.
This activity marks the first in a series of nationwide youth forums and community sensitization activities aimed at addressing nicotine and tobacco use among young people. The forums form part of a broader regional effort to reduce tobacco consumption and environmental emissions in Latin America.  In consultation with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Belize was selected by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, as one of the countries to participate in the “Towards a Smoke‑Free and Emission‑Free Latin America” Initiative.In 2001, South America became the first subregion in the Americas to accomplish 100% smoke-free environments in line with Article 8 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Tobacco use remains one of the most significant public health challenges in Latin America, contributing to more than eight million deaths each year. Of these, 1.3 million are attributed to exposure to second‑hand smoke, underscoring the urgent need for smoke‑free environments to protect the public, especially vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents.
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