ঢাকাশনিবার , ৮ অগাস্ট ২০২৬
Smoking cigarette isolated on white background
A World Health Organization report finds significant global progress in dropping tobacco use over the last two decades- yet the tobacco epidemic remains far from over and is morphing into new forms. The report estimates that the number of tobacco users fell from unevenly 1.38 billion in 2000 to about 1.2 billion in 2024 and that one in five adults worldwide still uses tobacco or nicotine products. Since 2010 the global tobacco-using population has declined by approximately 120 million people, a relative drop of about 27%, but the world remains short of the 2025 target for a 30% reduction.
For the first time WHO provides a global estimate of e-cigarette (vaping) use and the figure is striking. The organisation estimates more than 100 million people now vape worldwide- including at least 86 million adults (concentrated in higher-income countries) and about 15 million adolescents aged 13–15. In places with data, children in that age group are on average nine times more likely than adults to be vaping. WHO warns that these new nicotine products risk hooking a new generation and undermining long-term tobacco control gains.
The declines reported by WHO reflect decades of tobacco control work- taxation, smoke-free laws, advertising bans and cessation support- but the pace is not level. Women have driven much of the recent reduction: female prevalence fell from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024, with the number of female users dropping from 277 million to 206 million. Men have reduced tobacco use more slowly: prevalence among men fell from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024 and only fewer than 1 billion men still use tobacco. At existing rates, WHO projects the male population will not meet the 30% reduction target until about 2031.
Regional patterns- uneven progress
Regional trends vary markedly and help explain the global pattern:
South-East Asia: Once the global hotspot, male prevalence has nearly halved- from about 70% in 2000 to 37% in 2024 and the region accounts for more than half of the world’s decline.
Africa: Shows the lowest prevalence (9.5% in 2024) and is on track for the 30% reduction target, but population growth has pushed absolute numbers of users upward.
Americas: Achieved a 36% relative reduction, with prevalence near 14% in 2024.
Europe: Now has the highest regional prevalence (24.1%) and the highest female prevalence globally (about 17.4%).
Eastern Mediterranean: Prevalence is around 18%, with increases in some countries.
Western Pacific: Slow progress- 22.9% prevalence in 2024 (down from 25.8% in 2010); male prevalence is 43.3%, while female prevalence remains low (2.5%).
WHO underscores a strategic pivot by the tobacco industry toward a proliferation of nicotine products- e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches- often marketed as harm-reduction.
WHO cautions these products are being aggressively marketed to youths and may normalise nicotine use even where combustible smoking has declined. “E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction,” said Etienne Krug, WHO Director of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, urged governments to “act faster and stronger in executing proven tobacco control policies.”
WHO is urging immediate policy action: full execution of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the MPOWER measures; robust regulation of new nicotine products; bans on advertising and child-targeted marketing; increased tobacco taxes; and expansion of cessation services so that more users can quit. The organisation stresses that past gains are fragile unless policy keeps pace with industry innovation.
The findings are drawn from 2,034 national surveys covering about 9 of the global population and are presented in the sixth edition of WHO’s global trends report (2000–2024, with projections to 2030). WHO calculates the world has so far achieved a 27% reduction in tobacco use- three percentage points short of the 30% reduction goal for 2025- leaving an estimated shortfall of about 50 million users who would need to quit meeting that target.
