Teenage girls in Europe have the highest rate of tobacco use in their age group around the world, while one in seven adolescents across the continent use vapes and e-cigarettes, figures show. Four in 10 adult female smokers around the world – about 62m women – live in Europe, while 4m teenagers aged 13 to 15 across the continent use tobacco products. For vapes and e-cigarettes, Europe has the highest prevalence of teenage regular users, at 14.3% of children aged between 13 and 15. “European girls aged 13 to 15 now have the highest tobacco use rates among their age group anywhere in the world. Applying the same strong tobacco control tools to new and emerging products is essential if we want to protect young people and sustain public health gains.”- The Guardian

Source: Irish Examiner February 27, 2026 18:11 UTC