WHO Warns of Rising Nicotine Addiction as E-Cigarettes Threaten Global Progress
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sounded a warning about a new wave of nicotine addiction driven by e-cigarettes and emerging tobacco products, especially among young people. Despite a global drop in traditional tobacco use over the past two decades, the agency says a fresh crisis is unfolding.
According to WHO’s latest global report, the number of tobacco users worldwide has fallen from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024 — a 27% reduction. However, over 100 million people now use e-cigarettes, including 15 million adolescents aged between 13 and 15, who are nine times more likely to vape than adults.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the trend as a “fightback” by the tobacco industry, which is using sleek marketing, social media, and new nicotine products such as heated tobacco and nicotine pouches to attract young users. “Millions have quit thanks to tobacco control,” he said, “but the industry is striking back. Governments must act faster and stronger.”
Dr. Etienne Krug, WHO’s Director for Health Determinants, Promotion, and Prevention, added that e-cigarettes are fueling a new form of addiction. He warned that while companies promote vaping as a “safer” alternative, it actually risks reversing years of anti-tobacco progress by getting young people hooked earlier.
The report also showed that women are leading in quitting tobacco. Between 2010 and 2024, female tobacco users dropped from 277 million to 206 million, meeting the global reduction target five years ahead of schedule. In contrast, men remain the majority of global users, with nearly one billion still using tobacco.
Regionally, South-East Asia has made the biggest progress, reducing male tobacco use by half, while Europe remains the highest-prevalence region, with 24.1% of adults still smoking. Africa has the lowest rate at 9.5%, but population growth continues to increase overall user numbers.
The WHO is urging governments to step up their response using the MPOWER framework — a set of evidence-based tobacco control policies under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). These include raising tobacco taxes, banning advertising, and closing loopholes for new products like e-cigarettes.
Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, emphasized the need for global unity in the fight against nicotine addiction. “Nearly 20% of adults still use tobacco or nicotine products,” he said. “We’ve made gains, but stronger, faster action is the only way to defeat this epidemic.”
