WHO Warns of Rising Use of E-Cigarettes Among Children

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning about an alarming increase in e-cigarette usage among children worldwide. E-cigarettes are contributing to a new wave of nicotine addiction, with millions of young individuals now addicted to vaping products. According to recent estimates, over 100 million people globally are using e-cigarettes, including at least 15 million children aged 13 to 15. Children in certain countries are nine times more likely than adults to engage in vaping. WHO criticizes the vaping industry for aggressively marketing these products as less harmful alternatives to traditional cigarettes, despite evidence suggesting they target youth and foster early nicotine addiction.

While global tobacco use has declined over the years—dropping from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024—the industry has shifted tactics, pushing novel nicotine products to sustain addiction numbers. Currently, at least 86 million adults, mainly in high-income nations, and a significant number of adolescents use e-cigarettes. WHO officials emphasize that this trend could undermine decades of progress in tobacco control.

Etienne Krug, WHO’s director of health determinants, highlights that e-cigarettes are fueling a new nicotine crisis, especially among youth, and warns that such products threaten to reverse positive health trends. The organization cites that despite overall reductions in tobacco consumption, the tobacco industry’s new strategies and products are combating efforts to decrease nicotine addiction worldwide.

Health experts stress the importance of stronger government action to regulate and restrict e-cigarette marketing and sales to protect children. The WHO calls for intensified tobacco control policies globally, noting that in twelve countries, tobacco use is once again on the rise, risking future increases in disease and premature death. WHO estimates that smoking-related deaths exceed seven million annually, with second-hand smoke causing over one million fatalities.

The organization urges that indoor smoking and vaping around children are irresponsible and unacceptable, emphasizing that immediate policy interventions are critical to halt this troubling trend. The WHO’s ongoing efforts focus on safeguarding public health and preventing the next generation from falling prey to nicotine addiction.