The World Health Organization (WHO) released its latest report on tobacco use, analyzing global smoking trends from 2010 to 2024, and concluded that while progress has been made, the tobacco epidemic remains a major public health challenge. Globally, tobacco use declined from 26.2 percent in 2010 to 19.5 percent in 2023, and the UN health agency predicts continued reductions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged these gains but warned that the tobacco industry is introducing new nicotine products aimed at keeping consumers addicted, particularly targeting young people. He urged governments to implement proven tobacco control measures more quickly and effectively.
The report also provides the first global estimates of e-cigarette use among adults and adolescents, revealing that over 100 million people worldwide are now vaping, including 86 million adults and at least 15 million adolescents aged 13 to 15. E-cigarette use among adolescents is on average nine times higher than among adults in most countries. WHO officials highlighted that while e-cigarettes are marketed as harm reduction tools, they are creating a new wave of nicotine addiction, particularly among young people, threatening decades of progress in tobacco control. Overall, 10 percent of adolescents worldwide reported using at least one type of tobacco product.
Trends in tobacco use vary across regions and genders. In Southeast Asia, once a global hotspot for smoking, the prevalence among men nearly halved from 70 percent in 2000 to 37 percent in 2023, contributing to over half of the global decline. In 2024, Europe had the highest number of smokers, followed by the Western Pacific, while Africa recorded the lowest prevalence. Projections through 2030 indicate a continued decline in tobacco use worldwide, but WHO emphasizes that governments must maintain and strengthen tobacco control policies. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, stressed that nearly 20 percent of adults still use tobacco and nicotine products, underscoring the need for sustained global action.
