The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning about an “alarming” new wave of nicotine addiction, driven by a surge in children using e-cigarettes.
In its first global estimate, the WHO found that more than 100 million people now vape. This includes at least 15 million children between the ages of 13 and 15. Data shows that in countries with available information, children are, on average, nine times more likely to vape than adults.
The UN health agency accused the industry of aggressively targeting young people by marketing vapes as less harmful, while actually hooking a new generation on nicotine. This trend risks undermining decades of progress in reducing tobacco use.
While the number of global tobacco users has dropped, the WHO urged governments to act faster to implement strong tobacco control policies and protect children from the dangers of vaping and nicotine addiction.
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