Every year on May 31, Ukraine and the world celebrate World No Tobacco Day. The use of tobacco products has long since acquired signs of an epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 billion people worldwide use tobacco products, 209 million of whom live in Europe. This dubious pleasure takes the lives of 8 million people on the planet every year, including 130 thousand Ukrainians.
Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. The general list of diseases whose development, course, and outcome are negatively affected by smoking includes over 100 different diseases and disorders.
Surveys by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, conducted in February-March 2025, demonstrate the growth of tobacco consumption among Ukrainians. According to the survey results, 31% people use tobacco or nicotine products, which is 4% more than in 2024. At the same time, the share of young people aged 18 to 39 who use tobacco products increased from 33% to 45% over the year!
The main factor behind the increase in tobacco and nicotine consumption among young people is the aggressive promotion of heated tobacco products (HTTPs). Among young smokers aged 18-29, 371% use HTPs.
Social media has become a powerful channel for promoting tobacco and nicotine products among young people. Studies show that teenagers use tobacco sticks twice as often as adults. This is due to the active presence of tobacco brands in the digital space, which create a positive image of smoking and vaping among young people. The pleasant taste and smell of fashionable tobacco products, misleading information from manufacturers about the lower harm of TWENs mask the deadly danger and serious health consequences.
There are currently no independent studies on the safety of TWENs. However, some studies have revealed the following.
- During the use of TWENs through tobacco heating systems, over 50 carcinogens are released.
- TWEN aerosol contains nicotine, heavy metals and other toxic substances that can harm the lungs, heart and blood vessels.
- Concentrations of some harmful substances in TWEN aerosol can be even higher than in traditional cigarette smoke.
- Smoking tobacco in sticks through heating devices can cause the same cardiovascular problems as traditional cigarettes, including increased heart rate and blood pressure.
- Don't forget that batteries in electronic devices can overheat and explode in your pocket or hand.
According to doctors and scientists, no trendy way of using tobacco helps you quit smoking and is clearly harmful to your health. Therefore, you should always remember that there is no such thing as safe smoking.
Quitting smoking is the best solution for your health!