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On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, the TFI association organized a day of awareness and debate at the Lebanese Order of Physicians in Furn al-Chebbak. This is Beirut was there. Testimonies, bold statements and hope for a collective awakening.

Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) dedicates the end of May to global awareness of the dangers of tobacco. But in Lebanon, despite Law 174, a committed NGO and decades of warnings, the scourge keeps spreading, especially among the youth. Journalist and President of the Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) Elsa Yazbek Charabati gave This is Beirut an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the event.

The conference hall at the Order of Physicians was packed that morning. Journalists, doctors, MPs, influencers and WHO representatives gathered while guests took their seats. Answering TFI’s call, all these people came together for an urgent and cross-cutting cause: to save the younger generations from the grip of tobacco – especially in its modern forms.

But what stood out the most was the strong presence of schoolchildren, accompanied by their teachers. They listened, took notes, asked questions. Their eyes occasionally met those of the speakers – a reminder that this is all about them. Tourism Minister Laura Lahoud and Public Health Minister Dr. Rakan Nassereddine opened the session with words of support.

A Well-Laid Trap
Onstage and in the hallways, one message kept resurfacing: the tobacco industry has changed its hunting ground. And its target is clear.
“They use catchy scents – bubble gum, popcorn, strawberry, chocolate – and design packaging worthy of electronic gadgets or jewelry. They know exactly what kids like,” said Yazbek Charabati, the seasoned journalist, department head at USJ and newly appointed TFI president. “Today, some start smoking at just 11 or 12 years old. It’s a disaster.”
“The slogan of this year’s campaign, ‘Bright Products, Dark Intentions,’ says it all when it comes to the trap closing in on our children,” she later told This is Beirut. “Vaping products are chemical bombs disguised as cool accessories.”

Dr. Ghazi Zaatari, the Director of the WHO Knowledge Hub on Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking, warned of the misleading marketing by manufacturers:
“They exploit innocent visuals, colors and flavors to hide the toxicity of their products. It’s a dangerous manipulation strategy.”

Beside him, MP Najat Aoun Saliba admitted that enforcing the smoking ban in public places remains a far-fetched dream. The debate heated up. The words were raw, the facts alarming. But the will to shake things up was palpable.

Inform, Prevent, Educate
In this battle, Yazbek Charabati is a true activist.
“I’ve been part of this association since it was founded in 2000, after I did a TV report on the topic. The story touched me: after the tragic death of lawyer Antoine Kairouz, who died of smoking-related lung cancer, his children created this NGO to prevent other young people from falling into the trap. That’s how it all began.”

Between two panels – one on implementing Law 174, the other on the role of influencers – she explained how her career fuels her mission:
“My work as a journalist allowed me to follow this cause, give it media visibility, amplify it. I covered the early efforts to pass Law 174, I saw it pass in 2011, and then fade into oblivion. Today, we’re fighting to enforce it again.”

She further insisted, “This law, which should have transformed the health landscape in Lebanon, was enforced for only three months. Three months! And even then, only partially. We saw cafés skirting the rules by hanging curtains to isolate smokers, clubs redefining spaces to fool inspectors, public venues turning a blind eye to avoid losing customers. A law sabotaged by absurdity, hypocrisy and a total lack of control. As though public health were optional. It’s surreal.”

But the real battle lies elsewhere: in schools, closer to the children.
“We’ve developed pedagogical materials with psychologists, tobacco specialists and communication experts. We train teachers, who in turn train their students. This prevention chain is our greatest hope.”

A Clear Message: Law Enforcement, Prevention, Political Courage
On this World No Tobacco Day, Yazbek Charabati drove her message home:
“Change begins with the youth. But it’s up to political leaders to set the example. We can no longer ignore the dangers of vaping, which harms not only the lungs but also the brain. Can you imagine?”

She paused, looked around the room filled with testimonies, questions… and students. Then added, “People can smoke outside. In Lebanon, we get 360 days of sun a year! In Canada, they go out to smoke even when it’s -50°C.”

Regulating New Products: A Priority
So why is it so hard to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes and flavored products in Lebanon?
“Good question,” she bitterly replied. “That’s what we asked the MPs present today. There’s resistance, economic interests. But we can’t keep standing still.”

And suddenly, Elsa dropped a bombshell:
“Lebanon ranks 6th in the world for smoking rates. That’s nothing to be proud of. It’s a tragedy, especially in a country that boasts about its education levels. This absurd belief that e-cigarettes are ‘less harmful’ than regular cigarettes is a lie. Serious studies prove it. Google ‘University of Manchester Vaping Study.’ We can’t pretend we don’t know anymore.”

And What If Hope Wore a School Uniform?
Leaving the Order’s headquarters, we crossed paths with a group of high school students who came to attend the debates. They talked about vape flavors like one would discuss soda. One of them told us, “They say it’s not dangerous… but what we heard today really made us think.”

A seed has been planted. But faced with the marketing power of the tobacco industry and ongoing inertia, reflection alone won’t be enough. The time for observation is over. What’s needed now is relentless mobilization to pull Lebanon’s youth out of this well-laid trap.

That might be TFI’s biggest gamble. Not to convince those who already know, but to awaken those who don’t know yet, and – through education – turn the tide.
The day ended with the Kairouz Prize ceremony, an initiative that rewards the best student-led awareness projects against smoking. An emotional moment, filled with applause and smiles. A symbolic passing of the torch. The most committed students were warmly applauded: La Sagesse, Saint-Coeurs Sioufi, Athénée de Beyrouth, Besançon, Sisters of Charity…
These schools proved that prevention can come from the ground up – and that the future belongs to those who dare to say no.