A Caribbean medical student is urging governments, educators and public health officials to take stronger action against the growing use of vaping products among young people, warning that the region is facing a new public health challenge disguised as a modern trend.
In an opinion piece released ahead of World No Tobacco Day 2026, Aaliyah Lara, a medical student at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, highlighted what she describes as an alarming rise in vaping among Caribbean youth and called for greater awareness, stricter regulations and stronger protections for children and adolescents.
Lara referenced the World Health Organization’s 2026 World No Tobacco Day theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” noting that tobacco and nicotine companies have increasingly shifted their marketing strategies to target younger audiences.
She argued that brightly coloured devices, sweet flavors, and aggressive advertising campaigns have helped create the perception that vaping is harmless or safer than traditional smoking.
“The vape industry has targeted its marketing towards young people, especially teenagers and children, with enticing flavors, bright colors and misleading health claims,” Lara wrote.
According to figures cited from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), approximately 11.3 percent of Caribbean adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 use tobacco products, exceeding the global average of 10.3 percent.
The article also points to rising e-cigarette use across several Caribbean countries. Data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey showed youth vaping rates ranging from 4 percent in Antigua and Barbuda to as high as 17.2 percent in Trinidad and Tobago, with some countries reporting higher e-cigarette use than traditional cigarette smoking.
Lara warned that vaping has been linked to respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, nicotine dependence, and other long-term health risks. She noted that these health consequences can affect academic performance, mental well-being, and quality of life among young people.
While acknowledging recent public education campaigns and legislative efforts in countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Lara said additional measures are needed, including stronger warning labels, tighter regulations on sales and greater transparency regarding product ingredients.
She concluded by urging policymakers to prioritize youth protection and public education, arguing that nicotine addiction and respiratory illness are no longer concerns limited to long-term cigarette smokers but are increasingly affecting younger generations exposed to vaping products.