Almost one in three Brazilian adolescents aged 13 to 17 has already tried an electronic cigarette, according to the 2024 National School Health Survey, produced by IBGE. The percentage of experimentation with these devices went from 16.8% in 2019 to 29.6% in 2024, representing significant growth in vape use among young people.
In the same period, experimentation with conventional cigarettes among adolescents fell from 22.6% to 18.5%. Although the data does not prove that one product has directly replaced the other, the numbers reveal a significant change in the way young people come into contact with nicotine.
Roberto Rangel, a family and community medicine physician and public health manager, points out that for many years prevention was focused on the first cigarette, but now nicotine arrives with a different appearance, varied flavors, and the mistaken idea that it offers little risk. He highlights that the packaging has changed, but the risk of dependence remains the same.
The growth movement of vapes is also observed among young adults, according to data from Vigitel 2024, a telephone survey by the Ministry of Health that tracks risk factors for chronic diseases in the adult population.
