More than 100 hundred million individuals, including at minimum 15 million minors, presently use e-cigarettes, propelling a new surge of nicotine habit, per recent global health data.
Minors are, usually, nine times more prone than adults to use e-cigarettes, according to available international figures.
E-cigarettes are propelling a "new wave" of nicotine dependency, commented a prominent health official. "They are marketed as harm reduction but, actually, are addicting youth on nicotine earlier and risk undermining years of progress."
"Countless of people are quitting, or avoiding tobacco consumption thanks to tobacco regulation efforts by nations throughout the planet," the representative said.
"In response to this strong advancement, the tobacco business is fighting back with recent nicotine products, aggressively focusing on youth. Governments must respond quicker and stronger in enacting tested tobacco-control regulations," he further stated.
The vaping figures are an approximation since some states - 109 in all, and several in Africa and South-East Asia - do not gather statistics.
According to the study, as of recent February this period, at least 86 million e-cigarette individuals were grown-ups, mainly in high-income states.
And at bare minimum 15 million teenagers aged 13 and 15 already vape, according to studies from 123 states.
Although several countries have made efforts to establish e-cigarette policies to address underage vaping in recent years, by the close of 2024, 62 states yet had no measure in place, and 74 states had no minimum age at which e-cigarettes may be acquired, states the medical organization.
At the same time, tobacco use has been dropping - from an estimated 1.38 billion individuals in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024.
Prevalence of tobacco use among females dropped the largest - from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024.
For males, the decrease was from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024.
But 20% of mature individuals internationally yet uses tobacco.
Smoking is associated to several diseases, including cancer.
Professionals claim vaping is significantly less damaging than traditional cigarettes, and can aid you stop smoking. It is not recommended for non-smokers.
E-cigarettes eliminate burning tobacco and do not produce black substance or toxic gas, two of the most dangerous elements in tobacco vapors. They include nicotine, which may be habit-forming.
