Alarming trends: The use of electronic cigarettes among youth in Bulgaria is reaching new heights.

The World No Tobacco Day, observed on May 31, is an annual initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed at raising awareness of the harms of using tobacco, e-cigarettes and other nicotine products. This year's slogan "Attractive products. Hidden motives. Uncover the dangers" is focused on the design strategies that make these products appealing, especially to young people.

Despite significant progress in reducing smoking, the emergence of e-cigarettes and other new nicotine products poses a serious threat. Data shows that globally around 37 million youth aged 13-15 use tobacco, which causes 25% of all cancers and kills over 8 million people annually.

Regarding Bulgaria, the latest study on health behavior in school-aged children shows alarming trends. The country has the highest share of current e-cigarette users among 11- and 13-year-olds, and 15-year-olds are in third place in Europe for using these products. While in 2015, 10.8% of adolescents aged 13-15 used e-cigarettes, this percentage has already reached 23.3% in 2023.

Data from a National Survey on Attitudes and Use of Psychoactive Substances among the Population in Bulgaria shows that 60.4% of Bulgarians aged 15-64 have used cigarettes at least once, and 52.6% in the last 12 months. Although there is no significant difference in the use of traditional cigarettes between the age groups 15-64 and 15-29, the prevalence of newer nicotine products among young people is much higher. For example, 48.5% of young people aged 15-29 have used e-cigarettes at least once, and 37.4% have used a water pipe (hookah).

For the celebration of the World No Tobacco Day in May, the Regional Health Inspectorates organize various initiatives across the country. The Ministry of Health also reminds that any smoker can get free consultations on how to quit smoking throughout the year at one of the 28 Smoking Cessation Cabinets in the Regional Health Inspectorates.