Estimation of the global number of nicotine vapers in 2025

Global estimates of adult use of nicotine vaping devices are limited by uneven survey coverage and substantial gaps in country-level data. We therefore developed a structured three-stage approach to synthesize available evidence and generate approximate estimates of the current and projected global number of adult nicotine vaping users.

We used national survey data on vaping prevalence from 92 countries (2013-2023). In Stage 1, missing prevalence values were imputed using hierarchical groupings based on World Bank income level, UN subregion, and regulatory status. In Stage 2, prevalence was projected to 2025 for all 198 countries using inflation-adjusted national vaping market size as a growth proxy, applying country-specific ratios where available and regional estimates otherwise. In Stage 3, projected prevalence was combined with UN adult population data to estimate global user numbers.

The estimated global number of adult nicotine vape users reached approximately 129 million in 2025, up from over 50 million in 2018 and just over 114 million in 2023. Countries without survey evidence contribute only ∼18% of this global approximation in 2025. Growth was concentrated in higher-income countries and less restrictive regulatory environments.

Adult nicotine vaping is now a substantial but unevenly distributed global phenomenon, concentrated in specific regulatory and economic contexts. While estimates remain subject to meaningful uncertainty, the results indicate that participation in vaping has reached population-relevant levels in multiple regions.