New Delhi, May 31 (IANS). In this era, vaping is emerging as more of a challenge than smoking. On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, WHO presented a picture which is horrifying. It has been told how the youth are staying away from tobacco, but the teenagers are getting trapped in its web. The ‘Global report on trends in tobacco use prevalence between 2000–2024 and projections for 2025–2030’ is an update of the version published two years ago. It is also an important complement to the recently released ‘WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2025/.
Together, these two reports show that almost all countries are making progress in adopting and implementing effective tobacco control measures. Many countries are already seeing positive results, including significant reductions in tobacco use, and direct health and economic benefits as a result.
The report says that efforts to reduce tobacco consumption around the world are showing positive effects. According to statistics, while in the year 2000, about 1.379 billion people aged 15 years and above used some tobacco product, this number has come down to 1.202 billion in 2024. It is estimated that by 2025 this figure will further reduce to 1.196 billion. This is considered an important achievement in the field of public health.
However, this decline in tobacco use comes with a new challenge. Around 15 million teenagers worldwide, aged between 13 and 15, are using e-cigarettes or vaping. In countries where data are available, teenagers have been found to be vaping on average nine times more than adults. Apart from this, about 4 crore teenagers are also consuming traditional tobacco products.
If seen on the basis of gender, 83 percent of total tobacco users in 2024 will be men. This year, the number of male users was recorded at 99.7 crore and the number of female users was 20.6 crore. There is a continuous decline in tobacco consumption among women. While in the year 2000, 342 million women used tobacco, in 2024 this number has come down to 206 million. It is expected to reach 18.2 crore by 2030.
At the regional level, the greatest improvement has been seen in South-East Asia. The region is projected to lose approximately 69 million tobacco users between 2010 and 2025. In contrast, the number of tobacco users is expected to increase in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The World Health Organization has warned that the tobacco industry is pushing the new generation towards nicotine addiction through constantly changing strategies. According to Dr. Etienne Krug, director of the organization’s Department of Health Assessment, Promotion, and Prevention, “Despite tobacco causing millions of deaths every year, big tobacco companies are reshaping their business models. On the one hand, they continue to profit from deadly cigarettes, while on the other hand, they are aggressively promoting flavored e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and other nicotine products, all aimed at hooking the next generation.”
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and is harmful to health when taken in high doses. Children, adolescents and young adults are at greater risk because the brain is still developing in this age group. According to experts, exposure to nicotine at an early age increases the risk of long-term addiction and negative effects on mental and physical health.
Amidst this concern, on May 19 the organization honored leaders and organizations who have taken bold steps to counter the tobacco industry’s new and complex strategies to attract youth. Among them, two were also from India. Principal Secretary, Medical and Health Department, Jaipur and second to ICMR, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Central Government.
Tobacco use is still one of the leading causes of preventable death in the world. According to WHO, more than 70 lakh people die every year due to tobacco consumption. It is linked to heart disease, respiratory diseases and more than 20 types of cancer.
–IANS
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