Health experts are sounding the alarm over a growing nicotine crisis among South African youth, as vaping and e-cigarettes become a major public health concern.
Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaahla, speaking at a World No Tobacco Day event in Midrand, revealed that “one in five high school learners in South Africa is now vaping.”
He warned that “the glamorisation of flavoured tobacco products and e-cigarettes is driving a dangerous surge in teen nicotine addiction, with long-term consequences for public health.”
His concerns follow new findings from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), which show that over 76% of university students have encountered e-cigarette promotions, including free samples.
Speaking on VOC’s PM Drive, Catherine Egbe, a specialist scientist at the SAMRC’s Mental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco Research Unit, explained:
“This study was prompted by earlier research done with a PhD student at the University of Pretoria. Of the 240 vape shops he mapped, 60% were located near university campuses.”
She added that “many students are living away from home for the first time. They’re vulnerable to peer pressure and the allure of trying something new. The marketing is aggressive, and once they’re hooked, nicotine addiction takes over, it’s no longer about choice.”
Egbe emphasised that prevention is key:
“Once children start, they don’t easily quit. That’s why our focus is on keeping them from ever starting in the first place.”
The SAMRC is urging urgent restrictions on advertising and the distribution of vaping products to protect young people from addiction.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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