A study from the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), released this week, found that one in nine Brazilian teenagers report using e-cigarettes. The study surveyed about 16,000 people aged 14 or older from all regions of the country.
According to the study, the number of young people using e-cigarettes is already five times higher than those who smoke traditional cigarettes. The data, collected between 2022 and 2024, comes from the Third National Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (Lenad 3). This is the first edition of the survey to include vape use.
Although the product is banned in Brazil, Clarice Madruga – the study’s coordinator and a psychiatry professor at Unifesp – points out that it’s very easy to buy the device online.
Another problem, the researcher notes, is the health risk, as the inhalation of highly toxic substances – like nicotine – is significantly higher in e-cigarettes than in traditional ones. Madruga also expressed concern about the new rise in cigarette use following the success of anti-tobacco policies introduced in the 1990s, which had previously curbed consumption.
“ We had great success with policies that led to a sharp drop in smoking. But a new challenge has completely disrupted that progress. Today, we are seeing much higher consumption rates – especially among teenagers – that remain largely invisible, ” she says.
The study participants received treatment referrals at Hospital São Paulo and the Unifesp Comprehensive Mental Health Care Center.
Source: Agência Brasil