Alarming number of people now vape, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 100 million people, including at least 15 million children aged 13 to 15, currently use e-cigarettes, raising concerns about a new wave of nicotine addiction. Children are nine times more likely to vape than adults, according to global data. WHO officials warn that e-cigarettes, often marketed as harm reduction tools, are instead hooking young people on nicotine, potentially reversing progress made in tobacco control. WHO Director General Dr. Tedros criticized the tobacco industry for aggressively targeting youth with new nicotine products amid declining tobacco use worldwide. While tobacco use has decreased from 1.38 billion users in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, one in five adults still smokes, with significant drops in prevalence among women and men. Despite efforts by many countries to regulate e-cigarettes, 62 nations lack policies addressing child vaping, and 74 have no minimum purchase age, highlighting gaps in global tobacco control measures.