Worrying Figures of Users Now Use E-Cigarettes, Warns Global Health Body
Over 100 million people, comprising at minimum 15 million minors, presently employ e-cigarettes, propelling a recent wave of nicotine addiction, according to current global public health reports.
Children are, on average, nine times more likely than mature individuals to engage in vaping, based on existing global data.
Vaping devices are driving a "new wave" of nicotine addiction, remarked a prominent health expert. "These devices are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking children on nicotine at younger ages and risk weakening years of improvement."
Teens Being 'Focused On'
"Millions of citizens are quitting, or refraining from tobacco consumption thanks to tobacco restriction efforts by countries across the globe," the representative stated.
"As an answer to this significant improvement, the tobacco sector is resisting with new nicotine products, forcefully focusing on young people. Governments must act faster and more vigorously in applying proven tobacco-control policies," the representative added.
The e-cigarette statistics are an estimate since numerous nations - 109 in total, and many in African and Asian regions - lack data.
Per the analysis, as of recent February this year, at bare minimum 86 million e-cigarette users were adults, primarily in high-income countries.
And at bare minimum 15 million youth between the ages of 13 and 15 already use e-cigarettes, per research from 123 nations.
While several states have tried to introduce e-cigarette policies to tackle underage vaping in recent years, by the end of 2024, 62 countries yet had no policy in place, and 74 states had no age restriction at which e-cigarettes are allowed to be bought, reports the health organization.
At the same time, tobacco use has been dropping - from an projected 1.38 billion individuals in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024.
Frequency of tobacco consumption among females dropped the most - from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024.
Among males, the decrease was from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024.
But a fifth of grown-ups internationally even now consumes tobacco.
Cigarette consumption is associated to numerous diseases, including cancer.
Professionals state vaping is significantly less harmful than cigarettes, and can help you stop smoking. It is not recommended for individuals who avoid tobacco.
Electronic cigarettes do not burn tobacco and do not create black substance or toxic gas, a pair of the most damaging substances in tobacco fumes. They have nicotine, which might be addictive.
