THE WHO European Region is set to maintain its status as having the world’s highest tobacco use by 2030, with alarming trends among women and young people, today’s WHO data has revealed.
The Region, covering 53 countries across Europe and Central Asia, is the only WHO region not expected to meet the global target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use among women from 2010 to 2025.
It is currently projected to meet less than half the target, at 12%.
Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: “Tobacco use already causes over 1.1 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases in the European Region each year – and without accelerated action, we will stay the worst-performing region in the world by 2030.
“We have a responsibility to change course now: to shield young people from nicotine addiction, prevent industry interference in health policy, and enforce the regulations that will prevent a lifetime of avoidable harm.”
13-15-Year-Old Girls Dominate the Younger Demographic
Over 40% of the world’s women who smoke live in the European Region.
Kluge continued: “European girls aged 13 -15 years now have the highest tobacco use rates among their age group anywhere in the world.
“That is not an accident, it’s the result of deliberate industry strategy targeting young people with flavoured products and sophisticated social media marketing.
“Countries like Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands are proving it is possible to push back – by regulating novel products, banning flavours, and restricting advertising. Every country in this region should be doing the same, to protect future generations.”
E-Cigarettes on the Rise
Approximately 4 million children aged 13-15 years across the European Region use tobacco products.
The same demographic in the Region has the highest average e-cigarette use prevalence in the world, at more than 14% and almost equal rates between boys and girls.
Among adults, the Region has the second-highest e-cigarette use prevalence globally: more than 31 million users.
Tobacco Policies
Only 18 of the 53 countries comprising the European Region have smoke-free laws covering all public spaces.
Further, cigarettes are more affordable today than they were in 2014 in 19 countries in the Region.
Recent Tobacco Use Health Update
Today’s WHO statistics follow yesterday’s publication of a study that investigated smoking patterns and the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Amid findings that cigarette smoking has been associated with a lower risk of PD, the large-scale cohort study established that PD risk was primarily associated with current smoking status rather than historical use.
Approximately 2 years of short-term abstinence did not mitigate the neuroprotective effects.
Sustained quitters had a near 20% lower all-cause mortality risk compared with persistent smokers, and recent quitters showed a marginal trend toward lower risk.
Reference
Ahn S-H et al. Dynamic Smoking Patterns and Risk of Parkinson Disease and All-Cause Mortality. Neurology. 2026;DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000214651.
Featured image: Kekyalyaynen on Adobe Stock
