Alarming Number of Individuals Now Engage in Vaping, Warns Global Health Body
In excess of 100 million users, comprising at minimum 15 million youth, currently employ e-cigarettes, fueling a fresh wave of nicotine dependency, per recent international medical data.
Youth are, usually, nine times more likely than grown-ups to engage in vaping, per available global figures.
Vaping devices are driving a "new wave" of nicotine dependency, stated a senior health official. "These devices are advertised as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking youth on nicotine at younger ages and endanger compromising decades of progress."
Young People Being 'Targeted'
"Millions of citizens are stopping, or avoiding tobacco usage because of tobacco control measures by countries around the world," he said.
"In response to this strong progress, the tobacco sector is pushing back with novel nicotine devices, aggressively targeting young people. Authorities must act quicker and stronger in enacting established tobacco-control policies," the representative further stated.
The e-cigarette figures are an estimate since several countries - 109 in sum, and numerous in African and South-East Asia - do not gather statistics.
Per the study, as of recent February this year, at minimum 86 million e-cigarette individuals were grown-ups, mostly in high-income states.
And at bare minimum 15 million adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 currently use e-cigarettes, per surveys from 123 nations.
Even though many states have attempted to establish e-cigarette policies to address underage vaping in the past few years, by the end of 2024, 62 countries even now had no policy in operation, and 74 nations had no age limit at which e-cigarettes can be bought, says the health body.
At the same time, tobacco usage has been dropping - from an projected 1.38 billion individuals in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024.
Occurrence of tobacco consumption among women dropped the most - from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024.
With males, the reduction was from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024.
But a fifth of adults worldwide even now uses tobacco.
Cigarette consumption is linked to several diseases, including cancer.
Experts state vaping is considerably less dangerous than traditional cigarettes, and can assist you stop smoking. It is not recommended for non-smokers.
Electronic cigarettes do not burn tobacco and do not produce resin or CO, a pair of the most dangerous components in tobacco vapors. They include nicotine, which may be addictive.
