With electronic cigarettes, WHO is alarmed by a new addiction aimed at children

Electronic cigarettes feed a new wave of “alarming” nicotine dependence, millions of children now depend on vapeo, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday, October 6.

In countries with data, children are on average nine times more likely than vape adults, according to WHO.

The United Nations Health Agency said the industry presented electronic cigarettes as less harmful products than cigarettes, but in reality it was aggressively attacking young people and made them dependent.

“The figures are alarming,” said the organization, which for the first time estimated the global use of electronic cigarettes in more than 100 million vapers, including at least 15 million children from 13 to 15 years, mainly in high -income countries.

“Electronic cigarettes feed a new wave of nicotine dependence,” said Etienne Krug, director of health, promotion and prevention of WHO.

Continue “anti -bacos control efforts”

Often, these products “are presented as means of risk reduction, but actually make children depend on nicotine before and risk committing decades of progress.” Because today, the world smokes less: the number of smokers increased from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, while the world’s population has increased.

According to WHO, one in five adults in the world always depends on tobacco, and the industry changes tactics to try to keep this figure at a high level.

“Millions of people quit smoking, or do not start smoking thanks to anti -bacos control efforts from countries around the world,” said Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO managing director in the press release.

In response, “the tobacco industry retaliates with new nicotine products, aggressively aimed at young people. Governments must act faster and more firmly to implement proven anti -Bacc control policies,” he insisted.

Twelve countries are currently seeing an increase in the prevalence of smoking, according to WHO.

This “represents millions of additional people exposed to the risk of premature disease, disability and death in the coming years,” said Jeremy Farrar, deputy director of health promotion, disease prevention and care. He recalled that smoking killed more than seven million people every year, while passive smoking killed more than one million.