Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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February 26, 2026 Healthcare
Today, the WHO Regional Office for Europe published new fact sheets on tobacco use, and the findings are grim. The WHO European Region, which includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, will continue to have the highest tobacco use globally by 2030, with particularly alarming trends among women and young people.
The region has a strong foundation for tobacco control, but the nicotine-containing product market is rapidly expanding, and policy responses have not always kept pace.
“In the European Region, tobacco use already causes more than 1.1 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases each year, and unless we can step up our efforts, we will remain the region with the worst results in the world by 2030,” said WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge.
"We must change this course now: we must protect young people from nicotine addiction and stop the industry's attempts to interfere with health policy," he added.
Europe leads in smoking rates among teenage girls
The WHO European Region is the only region in the world expected to miss the global target of reducing tobacco use among women by 30 percent by 2025. According to the latest estimates, the number of women smoking will decrease by only 12 percent between 2010 and 2025.
More than 40 percent of the world's adult female smokers – 62 million – live in the European Region.
The highest prevalence of tobacco use among girls worldwide is observed among girls aged 13–15 years in the European Region.
A threat to the new generation
In Europe, approximately 4 million adolescents aged 13–15 use tobacco products. An even more alarming trend is observed with regard to e-cigarettes: the WHO European Region has the highest prevalence rate of e-cigarette use among adolescents in the world – 14.3 percent, with rates virtually equal among boys and girls.
"This is no accident—it's the result of the tobacco industry's targeted strategy to attract young people through flavors and sophisticated social media marketing. The experience of countries like Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands shows that this trend can be countered by regulating new products, banning flavors, and restricting advertising," Kluge said.
Existing measures are not sufficient
While most countries in the region have effective tobacco product monitoring systems and require large graphic health warnings on packaging, the WHO notes that implementation of other measures has been less successful.
Comprehensive laws banning smoking in all public places are in effect in only 18 of 53 countries. National smoking cessation services, with coverage for these services, exist in only 12 countries. A comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising and promotion is in effect in only 13 countries. In 19 countries, cigarette prices are lower today than they were in 2014.
Regulation of e-cigarettes and other emerging nicotine products remains fragmented, reducing the overall effectiveness of tobacco control measures.
WHO calls on countries to address these gaps by fulfilling their obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, strengthening enforcement measures, and ensuring that tobacco product controls cover new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products.
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