Estimated Trends in the Worldwide Number of Vapers
Knowledge•Action•Change (2020)- Burning Issues: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2020
We estimate that in 2020 there were approximately 68 million nicotine vaping product users worldwide. However, this estimate should be treated with caution, as there is great uncertainty about some of the individual country estimates, and for 152 countries and territories data were missing. There is also variation in survey definitions of vaping. It is obvious from the data collected and assessed in our database that the available information is often of poor quality – survey samples are not numerous enough to provide sufficient precision to measure such small parts of the population. The sampling method of many studies is not probabilistic, which makes it impossible to generalise the measured values correctly per population. It is well known that monitoring risk behaviours in hidden populations is not straightforward. However, efforts to improve the accuracy of the information systems should be encouraged.
As of 2021, the estimated global number of nicotine vaping product users has increased to 82 million. For our analysis of these latest data see p.62 of the report: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2022: The Right Side of History
See also p.157 of the report for further analysis of the 2020 data: Burning Issues: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction 2020
