Despite a two-decade global drop in traditional tobacco use, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning about a fresh surge in nicotine addiction driven by e-cigarettes and other emerging tobacco products — especially among young people.
A new WHO global report shows that the number of tobacco users worldwide declined from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, marking a 27 percent reduction. Yet, one in every five adults across the world remains hooked on nicotine.
Even more alarming, the report reveals that over 100 million people now use e-cigarettes, including approximately 15 million adolescents aged 13 to 15 — a group found to be nine times more likely to vape than adults.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the trend a “fightback” by the tobacco industry, accusing it of deploying sophisticated marketing tactics and sleek new nicotine products — such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches — to lure the next generation of users.
“Millions are quitting thanks to tobacco control efforts,” he said. “But the tobacco industry is fighting back with new products aggressively targeting young people. Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco control policies.”
WHO’s Director of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention, Dr. Etienne Krug, echoed the concern, warning that “E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction. They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.”
The report highlights that women are leading the global quit movement. Between 2010 and 2024, the number of female tobacco users fell from 277 million to 206 million — a sharp drop that reduced global prevalence among women from 11% to 6.6%. Notably, women met the global 30% reduction target for 2025 five years ahead of schedule, achieving it in 2020.
Men, however, continue to lag. Nearly one billion men still use tobacco, accounting for more than 80% of global users. While their prevalence declined from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024, the pace remains too slow to meet international targets before 2031.
Regionally, WHO’s data paints a mixed picture. South-East Asia recorded the most progress, with male tobacco use nearly halved — dropping from 70 percent in 2000 to 37 percent in 2024 — representing more than half of the global decline. The Americas followed with a 36 percent relative reduction, lowering prevalence to 14 percent.
Africa reported the world’s lowest tobacco use at 9.5 percent, yet population growth continues to increase the total number of users. Europe now stands as the region with the highest prevalence, with 24.1 percent of adults still using tobacco. European women also record the highest female smoking rates globally, at 17.4 percent.
In the Eastern Mediterranean region, prevalence stands at 18 percent, with some countries showing rising trends, while the Western Pacific region recorded the slowest progress — 22.9 percent of adults still use tobacco, with men there posting the world’s highest rate at 43.3 percent.
WHO is urging governments to take stronger and faster action against tobacco and nicotine use. The organization recommends full implementation of the **MPOWER** package — a set of evidence-based tobacco control measures under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). These include raising tobacco taxes, banning advertising and sponsorship, closing regulatory loopholes for new products like e-cigarettes, and expanding cessation services to help users quit.
“Nearly 20% of adults still use tobacco and nicotine products. We cannot let up now,” warned Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. “The world has made gains, but stronger, faster action is the only way to beat the tobacco epidemic.”
The WHO’s findings highlight a troubling paradox: while traditional cigarette smoking is declining, the nicotine industry is reinventing addiction through new technologies and youth-centered marketing. Without tougher regulations and renewed political will, experts caution, a new generation risks falling into nicotine dependence just as the world was beginning to turn the tide against it.
