One in five young people start smoking with e-cigs, is the tobacco free generation a utopia?
In 2023, smoking caused almost 535,000 deaths and almost 14.5 million years of life lost due to disability in the European Union
Key points
Since 2012, the proportion of smokers has fallen from 28% to 24% of the population. At the same time, the consumption of new products is growing, especially among young people, to the extent that one in five 15-19 year olds has started smoking through regular use of electronic cigarettes. This is highlighted in the Evaluation of the EU Regulatory Framework on Tobacco Control, published by the European Commission, underlining that "the current regulatory framework fails to effectively protect public health, in particular that of young people, from new tobacco and nicotine products".
The harms of smoking and the impact of higher prices
In 2023, smoking caused almost 535,000 deaths and almost 14.5 million years of life lost due to disability in the European Union. Added to this are health costs of EUR 80.7 billion per year, both direct and indirect. The new document, also based on extensive consultations with citizens and experts, confirms the effectiveness of regulations in reducing consumption of cigarettes, so much so that the value of sales of traditional tobacco products fell by 8.5% between 2012 and 2023 and "around 40% of the decline can be attributed to the impact of fiscal policies", i.e. the increase in cigarette packet prices.
The electronic cigarette boom among young people
At the same time, however, the report emphasises that 'daily use of e-cigarettes has risen from 1% in 2020 to 1.7% in 2023. This upward trend is particularly pronounced among the under-30s, among whom use has increased from 1.4% to 3%". While from 2012 to 2023, the e-cigarette market in the EU grew by 450% in value. Similarly, the use of heated tobacco products is more prevalent among younger people (15-39) and the total market volume has increased from EUR 4 million in 2013 to EUR 12.5 billion in 2023. "Marketing practices," the report concludes, "have made the situation even worse. New tobacco and nicotine products are increasingly promoted through digital channels and social media." A situation that, in the absence of action, makes the goal of a Tobacco-Free Generation by 2040 increasingly distant.
