World Health organization, has on Monday warned against E-cigarettes, described it as “alarming” new wave of nicotine addiction, with millions of children now hooked on vaping.
What Does E-cigarettes Mean?
E-cigarettes are battery-powered electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) that heat a liquid into an aerosol (vapor) for inhalation.
This liquid, often called e-liquid or vape juice, contains nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals like propylene glycol and glycerol.
Common names for e-cigarettes include vape pens and pod devices, and they come in various designs and flavors that do not resemble traditional cigarettes.
What Does Nicotine Means?
Nicotine is an addictive, naturally occurring chemical in tobacco plants, and can also be lab-made.
It’s a stimulant that quickly enters the bloodstream and affects the brain, causing temporary feelings of alertness and well-being by releasing dopamine.
What Does Vaping Means?
Vaping is the action or practice of inhaling and exhaling vapour containing nicotine and flavouring produced by a device designed for this purpose.
In countries that have the data, children are on average nine times more likely than adults to vape, the WHO said.
The United Nations health agency said the industry was promoting vapes as supposedly less harmful products than cigarettes – but in fact was aggressively targeting young people and getting children addicted.
More than 100 million people are vaping, according to the WHO’s first global estimate of e-cigarette use.
World Health Organization claimed that the Number of smokers are alarming.
Also revealed that it’s included almost 85million adult and 14million of teenagers between age 13 to 15.
“The numbers are alarming,” the agency said.
They include at least 86 million adults, mostly in high-income countries, and at least 15 million children aged 13 to 15.
Etienne Krug, the director of health determinant, promotion and prevention said in a statement that E-cigarettes are fueling a New wave of Nicotine.
“E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction,” Etienne Krug, said in a statement.“
They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.
Globally, people are smoking less, with the number of tobacco users dropping from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, while the world’s population has swelled.
However, one in five adults worldwide is still addicted to tobacco — and the industry is changing tactics to try to keep the numbers up, the World Health Organization revealed.
World Health Organization Chief, Tedros Adhanom said in a statement that Millions of people are stopping, or not taking up, tobacco use thanks to tobacco control efforts by countries around the world.
In response to his claim, Tedros added that tobacco industry is fighting back with nicotine products.
The tobacco industry is fighting back with new nicotine products, aggressively targeting young people”, Tedros added.
Tedros Added that Government must act faster and stronger to implement Tobacco control policies.
Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco control policies.
Why is WHO Against Nicotine?
World Health Organization is against nicotine because it is highly addictive and a major factor in the global tobacco epidemic, which causes 7 million deaths annually
Nicotine is linked to cancers, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses.
Nicotine makes it hard for users to quit and fuels the tobacco industry’s efforts to attract new users through flavored products, which are particularly harmful to youth.
How Does Nicotine Become An Addictive Substance?
Nicotine creates addiction by rapidly reaching the brain and binding to nicotinic receptors, triggering dopamine release for a pleasurable “buzz”.
Over time, the brain adapts by creating more receptors, increasing tolerance, and causing withdrawal symptoms like irritability and cravings when nicotine isn’t present.
This creates a cycle where users take more nicotine to achieve the same effects and relieve withdrawal, leading to dependence.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that makes it difficult for people to quit using tobacco products.
Nicotine Major Health Risks
It is a major risk factor for numerous health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and more than 20 types of cancer.
How can Nicotine be Harmful to Young People?
Flavored tobacco and nicotine products serve as “youth-friendly bait,” masking the harshness of toxic substances and leading to addiction and serious health problems for young user
In teenagers, nicotine can harm memory, concentration, and brain development, as well as reduce their ability to control impulses.
World Health Organization confirmed that Almost Twelve countries are experiencing the rise in use of tobacco
Twelve countries are now seeing tobacco use prevalence on the rise, the WHO said.
These reversals are not just numbers — they represent millions more people at risk of disease, disability, and premature death in the years to come.
Keremy Farrar, the Word Health Organization’s assistant director-general for health promotion, disease prevention, and care, told reporters that,
Smoking was killing more than seven million people every year, while second-hand smoke killed over one million.
Smoking damages “every single part of the body”, Farrar said, adding that doing it indoors around children was “irresponsible and unacceptable
