The use of cigarettes and electronic tobacco products around the world still remains at a very high level. According to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) dated October 6, more than 100 million people worldwide, including 15 million teenagers, smoke cigarettes, the WHO reported.
The report notes that among adolescents aged 13 to 15, the number of electronic cigarette and vape users has reached about 15 million. These figures cause serious concern among parents and educational institutions, since nicotine use often begins at a young age and can lead to full addiction later in life.
In addition, at least 86 million people aged 15 and older smoke electronic cigarettes. This accounts for 1.9 % of the adult population — 2.3 % among men and 1.5 % among women.
According to Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, and Violence, electronic cigarettes are “creating a new wave of nicotine addiction.” He stated that although e-cigarettes are marketed as a “harmless alternative to smoking,” in reality they introduce children to nicotine at an early age and put the health of future generations at risk.
Krug emphasized that this trend threatens many years of reforms aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle across the globe. “Electronic cigarettes and vapes have not reduced tobacco consumption in society; instead, they have created a new form of it,” he said.
According to WHO data, in 2000 there were 1.38 billion tobacco users worldwide, while by 2024 that number decreased to 1.2 billion. Thus, over the last twenty years, the number of smokers has fallen by 120 million people, or 27 %.
Among women, the share of smokers fell from 11 % in 2010 to 6.6 % in 2024; among men, from 41.4 % to 32.5 %. Despite this decline, one in five adults worldwide still smokes.
The WHO report is based on data collected between 2014 and 2024 from 85 countries, covering 75 % of the world’s population. Meanwhile, 62 countries still have not taken specific measures to combat youth smoking, and 74 countries lack a minimum legal age for purchasing tobacco products.
Experts believe that this situation will only intensify global nicotine dependence. Nevertheless, the WHO’s overall conclusion remains optimistic — global tobacco use is gradually declining. The organization calls on countries to protect children’s health, impose restrictions on advertising and sales, and strengthen prevention programs.
Thus, the numbers show that humanity has made some progress in the fight against nicotine, but this fight is not yet over. Nicotine addiction remains one of the greatest health challenges of the 21st century.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
