WHO Raises Alarm as E-Cigarettes Trigger New Nicotine Crisis

Despite a two-decade global decline in traditional tobacco use, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concern over a new wave of nicotine addiction driven by e-cigarettes and emerging tobacco products, particularly among young people.

According to the latest WHO Global Tobacco Trends Report, the number of tobacco users worldwide fell from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, marking a 27% reduction. However, one in every five adults globally remains addicted to nicotine.

More alarmingly, the report revealed that over 100 million people now use e-cigarettes, including about 15 million adolescents aged 13 to 15 — a group found to be nine times more likely to vape than adults.

‘The Tobacco Industry Is Fighting Back’ — WHO

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the surge in vaping as a “fightback” by the tobacco industry, accusing it of deploying sophisticated marketing and youth-oriented products to hook a new generation of users.

“Millions are quitting thanks to tobacco control efforts,” Tedros said. “But the tobacco industry is fighting back with new products aggressively targeting young people. Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco control policies.”

WHO’s Director of Health Determinants, Promotion, and Prevention, Dr. Etienne Krug, echoed the warning, stating that e-cigarettes are “fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction.”

“They are marketed as harm reduction,” Krug said, “but in reality, they are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.”

Women Leading Global Decline in Tobacco Use

The report also highlighted a significant decline in tobacco use among women. Between 2010 and 2024, the number of female users fell from 277 million to 206 million, reducing prevalence from 11% to 6.6%.
Women collectively met the global 30% reduction target for 2025 five years early — in 2020.

Men, however, lag behind. Nearly one billion men still use tobacco, accounting for over 80% of global users. While prevalence among men dropped from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024, progress remains too slow to meet the 2025 target before 2031.

Regional Trends

• South-East Asia showed the greatest progress, with male tobacco use nearly halved from 70% in 2000 to 37% in 2024, accounting for more than half of the global decline.

• The Americas followed with a 36% relative reduction, bringing prevalence down to 14%.

• Africa, though recording the lowest global prevalence at 9.5%, continues to see a rise in total users due to population growth.

• Europe now has the highest adult tobacco use globally (24.1%), with women leading female prevalence at 17.4%.

• The Eastern Mediterranean region reported 18% prevalence, while the Western Pacific recorded the slowest progress at 22.9%, with male use reaching 43.3% — the highest in the world.

Call for Urgent Global Action

The WHO is urging governments to tighten regulations on all tobacco and nicotine products by enforcing the MPOWER package under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Recommended measures include:

• Raising tobacco taxes

• Banning advertising and sponsorships

• Closing regulatory loopholes for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products

• Expanding cessation services for smokers and vapers

“Nearly 20% of adults still use tobacco and nicotine products,” said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
“The world has made gains, but stronger, faster action is the only way to beat the tobacco epidemic.”

A New Addiction Crisis

The WHO’s findings underscore a troubling paradox: while traditional smoking is declining, modern nicotine products are reinventing addiction through sleek technology and youth-focused marketing.
Without urgent global action, experts warn, the world could soon face a new generation trapped in nicotine dependence—just as it was beginning to win the fight against the old one.