The World Health Organization said on Monday that at least 15 million minors between the ages of 13 and 15 years smoke e -cigarettes around the world.
The organization added that the possibilities of smoking young men to this type of cigarette increases 9 times on average compared to adults in countries where data is available.
The organization said in the first global estimate of the use of electronic cigarettes that more than 100 million around the world smoke e -cigarettes, including at least 86 million people, and that most of them are in high -income countries.
These numbers come with a continued decrease in tobacco globally. The number of tobacco users decreased to 1.2 billion smokers in 2024 from 1.38 billion in 2000.
Given that the most stringent regulations help reduce tobacco use, this sector turns into alternative products such as electronic cigarettes to help compensate for decrease in sales.
Tobacco companies say they target adult smokers with the aim of helping them to quit smoking and reduce traditional tobacco damage.
The World Health Organization has warned that nearly 1 out of 5 adults around the world still smoke tobacco products, and called for enhancing the enforcement of tobacco control measures and regulating the use of new nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes.