The World Health Organization has raised the alarm over a surge in nicotine addiction driven by e-cigarettes, estimating that over 100 million people, including at least 15 million children, now use these products worldwide.
Children are reportedly nine times more likely than adults to vape, according to global data available to the WHO.
Dr Etienne Krug, from the WHO, warned that e-cigarettes are sparking a “new wave” of nicotine dependence.
“They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress,” he said.
WHO Director General, Dr Tedros, accused the tobacco industry of “aggressively targeting” young people.
“Millions of people are stopping, or not taking up, tobacco use thanks to tobacco control efforts by countries around the world,” he said. “In response to this strong progress, the tobacco industry is fighting back with new nicotine products, aggressively targeting young people. Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco-control policies,” he added.
Global e-cigarette figures remain estimates, as 109 countries, including many in Africa and South-East Asia, do not collect this data.
As of February 2025, the WHO estimates that at least 86 million e-cigarette users are adults, primarily in high-income nations.
Meanwhile, surveys from 123 countries suggest that 15 million teenagers aged 13 to 15 already vape.
Efforts to regulate e-cigarettes and curb youth vaping have grown in recent years. Yet, by the end of 2024, 62 countries had no e-cigarette policies in place, and 74 countries had no minimum age restrictions for purchasing them.
Despite the rise of vaping, tobacco use has declined, from 1.38 billion users in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024. Women’s tobacco use has dropped the most, from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024, while among men, the decrease was from 41.4% to 32.5% over the same period. Still, one in five adults globally continues to use tobacco.
Smoking remains a major cause of disease, including cancer. Experts note that while vaping is far less harmful than cigarettes and may help smokers quit, it is not recommended for non-smokers.
E-cigarettes do not burn tobacco and avoid producing tar or carbon monoxide, the two most harmful elements of cigarette smoke, but they do contain addictive nicotine.
