THE WORLD is smoking less than ever, but the tobacco epidemic continues to take a devastating toll, according to a newly released World Health Organization (WHO) report. The number of people using tobacco has dropped from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, marking a 27% decline since 2010. Despite this progress, one in five adults worldwide still uses tobacco, driving millions of preventable deaths each year.
Women quit tobacco faster than men
While both men and women are smoking less, women have led the way in quitting. Female tobacco use dropped from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024, meeting the global reduction goal 5 years early. The number of women using tobacco fell from 277 million to 206 million during this period.
Men, however, remain the majority of users, making up over 80% of global tobacco consumers, nearly 1 billion people. Though male smoking rates have dropped from 41.4% to 32.5%, the decline is too slow to meet the global target before 2031.
Regional gaps reveal uneven tobacco control
The South-East Asia Region achieved the largest drop, with male smoking rates nearly halving since 2000. Africa now has the lowest prevalence at 9.5%, though population growth means total user numbers continue to rise. Meanwhile, Europe now leads the world in tobacco use, with 24.1% of adults smoking, and women there having the highest global prevalence at 17.4%.
The WHO urged governments to close loopholes, raise tobacco taxes, and regulate new nicotine products, warning that complacency could reverse decades of progress. “Nearly 20% of adults still use tobacco and nicotine products,” said Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General. “The world has made gains, but stronger, faster action is the only way to beat the tobacco epidemic.”
E-cigarettes spark new nicotine addiction crisis
For the first time, WHO estimated global e-cigarette use, and the figures are alarming. More than 100 million people are now vaping worldwide, including 86 million adults and at least 15 million adolescents. In countries with data, children aged 13–15 are nine times more likely to vape than adults.
Etienne Krug, WHO Director of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention Department, warned: “E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction. They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.”
Reference
World Health Organization. WHO tobacco trends report: 1 in 5 adults still addicted to tobacco. 2025. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/06-10-2025-who-tobacco-trends-report-1-in-5-adults-still-addicted-to-tobacco. Last accessed: 08 October 2025.
