Unmasking the appeal: Mongolia’s response to the tobacco epidemic

Tobacco is an epidemic, a serious public health threat. In Mongolia it is one of the leading risk factors for premature death and cardiovascular diseases.[i] Tobacco use claims the lives of 4 300 Mongolians each year, accounting for 17% of all deaths nationwide.[ii] Beyond the lives lost, tobacco places heavy burdens on families, communities, and the healthcare system.

In addition, a new and troubling threat has emerged: the rapid rise in e-cigarettes use, particularly among youth. According to the latest data[iii], 24.8% of children aged 13-17 years are now using e-cigarettes, a staggering figure that demands immediate attention.

WHO’s ongoing support to strengthen tobacco control

In 2024 and 2025, WHO continued to support and collaborate with the Parliament of Mongolia and the Ministry of Health (MoH) by providing strategic advice, policy guidance, and evidence to strengthen the legal and policy environment for tobacco control, including the regulation of e-cigarettes. This collaboration also included high-level advocacy meetings and policy dialogues.

In September 2024, the Parliament of Mongolia established a Working group composed of Members of Parliament to evaluate the implementation of the Tobacco Control Law. Subsequently, a Sub-Working group to provide technical support to Parliament was formed with a composition of key government ministries and agencies and WHO Country Office. All three levels of WHO (Country, Regional, and Headquarters) have been actively engaged in providing technical support and collaborating with the Government and Parliament of Mongolia to strengthen Mongolia’s legal and policy environment for tobacco control.

High-level meeting held in January 2025, bringing together Parliamentarians, health authorities, and WHO experts to evaluate the implementation of the Tobacco Control Law. Photo credit: WHO Mongolia / UB.life

One of the most recent supports that WHO provided to the Parliament Working group was the modelling of excise tax increase for conventional and e-cigarettes. This effort, supported by the Health Tax Unit, WHO HQ and WHO FCTC Secretariat, aimed to help the Government make informed decisions that improve public health, reduce smoking rates, and generate revenue. WHO’s recommendations to the Government included:

(1) Raising the specific excise tax on tobacco to reach at least 75% of the retail price by 2030;

(2) Introducing excise taxes on e-cigarettes; and

(3) Reducing cigarette prevalence and e-cigarette use by at least 15% by 2030.

To address the alarming rise in e-cigarette use among youth, WHO also developed a policy brief for MoH and the Parliament Working Group. The Policy Brief highlighted WHO's key messages on the harms of e-cigarettes, the aggressive marketing tactics used by the industry and emphasized the urgent need to ban or regulate these harmful products.

New study exposes alarming trends in Mongolia’s e-cigarette market

In support of legislative efforts, WHO Mongolia commissioned a national study to gather robust evidence on the size, strategies, and distribution channels of the e-cigarette market in the country. Conducted between February and April 2025, the study aimed to:

(1) Understand the e-cigarettes market (both supply and demand), the product types, flavours, and distribution channels;

(2) Collect evidence of overall marketing tactics, particularly how young people are exposed and influenced by online and offline marketing tactics of e-cigarettes; and

(3) Analyze the overall marketing and promotion strategies used by the e-cigarette industry.