The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that more than 100 million people worldwide, including at least 15 million children, are now using e-cigarettes, fueling a new wave of nicotine addiction.
According to WHO data, children are on average nine times more likely to use e-cigarettes than adults, raising alarm over the growing popularity of vaping among youth.
Dr. Etienne Krug of the WHO said that e-cigarettes, often marketed as low-harm alternatives, are in fact creating a new generation of nicotine-dependent users. “They are marketed as low-harm products, but in reality, they risk quickly getting children hooked on nicotine, undermining decades of progress,” he warned.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also condemned the tobacco industry for aggressively targeting adolescents with new nicotine products. He acknowledged that global tobacco control regulations have helped millions quit or avoid tobacco use but cautioned that the industry’s latest tactics threaten to reverse these achievements.
“In response to this strong progress, the tobacco industry is aggressively targeting young people with new nicotine products. Governments must act swiftly and strongly in implementing proven tobacco control policies,” Dr. Tedros said.
