WHO accuses vape manufacturers of hooking a generation of children on e-cigarettes as teen users hit 15million worldwide
Vape manufacturers were last night accused of hooking a generation of children on e-cigarettes as the number of people globally who use the devices exceeded 100million.
The World Health Organisation said vaping numbers were ‘alarming’ – and that rates among teenagers were of particular concern.
In a scathing attack, it warned manufacturers that devices meant to help people stop smoking were actually ‘hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress’.
Of the WHO’s estimate of more than 100million users, at least 86million were adults, mostly in high-income countries. Usage among teenagers aged 13 to 15 was nine times higher than adults, and almost 15million children use them.
In a report on global tobacco trends, the WHO said 1.9 per cent of adults vape compared with 7.2 per cent of teenagers aged 13 to 15.
However, it warned that its figures on vape use among adolescents were ‘almost certainly an undercount’. The report’s authors wrote: ‘Adolescents are generally using the products at a higher rate than adults.
‘This finding is not surprising considering that the industry is aggressively targeting children and young people, including through new digital channels that are under-regulated.’
Etienne Krug, director of the WHO’s department of health determinants, promotion and prevention, said: ‘E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction.
Vape manufacturers were last night accused of hooking a generation of children on e-cigarettes as the number of people globally who use the devices exceeded 100million
The World Health Organisation said vaping numbers were ‘alarming’ – and that rates among teenagers were of particular concern
‘They are marketed as harm reduction, but in reality are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.’
The report highlights how fewer people are smoking cigarettes, but warns that the ‘tobacco epidemic is far from over’.
Global tobacco users dropped from 1.38billion in 2000 to 1.2billion in 2024, the WHO said.
‘Millions of people are stopping, or not taking up, tobacco use thanks to tobacco control efforts by countries around the world,’ said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
‘In response to this strong progress, the tobacco industry is fighting back with new nicotine products, aggressively targeting young people. Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco control policies.’
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of the charity Action on Smoking and Health, said: ‘The growth in popularity of vapes in the UK has largely been due to their use as a quit aid in smoking.
‘But in the last few years vaping has increased among teenagers, and this needs urgent action.
‘Products that contain addictive substances must be properly regulated. This is what the Tobacco and Vapes Bill – returning to Parliament this month – will do, ensuring vapes are not promoted to children.’
