Even as smoking rates fall overall, a new World Health Organization report has warned that over 100 million people are vaping. It's concerning advocates worldwide, including those in Malaysia, who have been working to address the phenomenon.

What's happening?

Experts are worried that the popularity of e-cigarettes could erase years of progress in reducing nicotine addiction, presenting both health and environmental hazards.

In a recently released report, WHO noted that global tobacco use has declined from 1.38 billion users in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024. In Malaysia specifically, smoking is projected to drop from 23.1% of the population in 2010 to 16.1% by 2030.

This good news, though, could be overshadowed by a sharp increase in vaping, especially in young people. 

WHO has estimated that at least 86 million people — including 15 million minors aged 13 to 15 — now use e-cigarettes worldwide. In some regions, children are nine times more likely to vape than adults.

Experts in Malaysia have been quick to sound the alarm. NV Subbarow from the Consumers Association of Penang told The Star, "Most youths now hate smo­king because of the smell. About 80% of former smokers have told me they switched to vaping."

Subbarow noted that the range of flavors and scents in different vape products can make them more appealing to young adults than standard cigarettes. "This is worrying," he added.

Dr. M. Murallitharan of the Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control warned that declining cigarette smoking rates may be misleading, as non-smokers and former smokers alike take up vaping. "We are just shifting the problem," Murallitharan said.

Why is this trend concerning?

Health advocates worry that vaping could be creating a whole new generation of nicotine addiction, and the impacts could be enormous.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The habit-forming ingredient can pose particular dangers for youth, young adults, and pregnant people. Toxic to all developing brains, "e-cigarette use during pregnancy has been associated with low birth weight and pre-term birth," the CDC has said, which also notes the potential for exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals.

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The environmental impacts of e-cigarette use can also be significant. 

Disposable vapes, for example, can contribute to plastic waste, toxic e-waste, and lithium battery pollution when discarded improperly. These products often end up in landfills or waterways, releasing the same heavy metals and chemicals that can damage human bodies into fragile ecosystems as well.

What's being done about vaping?

In Malaysia, where officials have previously proposed a vape ban, a number of efforts are being made to strengthen anti-smoking laws. It is among the countries recognized by WHO for taking action.

In its report, the organization called for all governments to improve tobacco controls, including through "closing loopholes that allow the tobacco and nicotine industries to target children, and regulating new nicotine products like e-cigarettes" as well as "raising tobacco taxes, banning advertising, and expanding cessation services."

Local governments across the world and in the United States have been pursuing such measures. Individuals can help by supporting public health education, advocating for stricter policies on vape waste disposal, and avoiding the products themselves.

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