‘I felt as though the walls were closing in on me, my heart beating out of my chest, struggling for a single breath with a cough that just won’t quit. My body was on fire and the first meal I’ve been able to stomach in days is making its way back up’. This is the perspective one would expect from a 60 year old lifelong cigarette smoker, instead these were symptoms of a 16 year old boy in Trinidad and Tobago/my patient/a patient I was observing – admitted to the hospital due to vaping.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled the theme for World No Tobacco Day, 2026 as “Unmasking The Appeal: Countering Nicotine And Tobacco Addiction”. This mission encompasses not just raising awareness of the issues at hand but also advocating for stronger policies and providing education surrounding these addictive products. A primary goal of this campaign is to highlight that the nicotine and tobacco industry has reformed their marketing in an effort to target children and adolescents.[2]
From radio stations to in-person promotions, you hear vape companies advertising their product as a ‘healthier’ alternative to traditional cigarettes. These companies entice young persons with a variety of flavours such as bubble gum and cherry to sound appealing, fun and harmless. Some vapes contain nicotine, and flavors while others contain flavors alone, however they are all harmful to young smokers.
As reported in 2024, by the Caribbean Public Health Agency[1] there are approximately 11.3% of adolescents between 13 and 15 years of age in the Caribbean region using tobacco, compared to the world average of 10.3%. This statistic is not just a plea for concern but also a clear urgent call for action to be taken. This impact not only threatens the physical health of adolescents but also their mental health and well-being.
Though there has been a marked decrease from 33.3% to 29% in tobacco cigarette use amongst Caribbean countries as reported by the National Library Of Medicine[3] a new nicotine filled product has been on the rise, also known as vaping. The vape industry has targeted its marketing towards young persons, especially teenagers and children with enticing flavours, bright colours and misleading health claims in an effort to attract young persons.
However, vaping has been linked to cardiovascular damage, heart disease, chronic lung disease as well as potential cancer risk in the long term; something manufactures do not make their consumers aware of. These consequences affect physical health, emotional wellbeing and quality of life amongst students. This may translate to an impact of academic performance, nicotine dependency and difficulty of treatment in the long run.
As highlighted by the Global Youth Tobacco Survey in 2018, there has been a remarkable increase in Caribbean nations youth vaping rates ranging from 4% in Antigua and Barbuda, 11% in St. Lucia, 11.7% in Jamaica, and as high as 17.2% in Trinidad and Tobago. Of note is that the e-cigarette rates are higher than traditional cigarette use in some of these countries. Alarmingly, in Suriname, youth e-cigarette use grew from 5.9% in 2016 to 8.8% in 2022. [4] Young persons are continuing to partake in vaping in an effort to be accepted by peers, lack of education surrounding the health outcomes of prolonged vaping or simply being misled by the marketing tactics of these vaping companies.
The Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago has released multiple advocacy campaigns on the dangers of vaping and is currently working on legislation to govern the increasing use of e-cigarettes amongst persons as highlighted by then minister of health, Terrance Deyalsingh, January 2025.[5]
Even with measures put in place to educate the public and raise awareness of the dangers of nicotine and tobacco there needs to be policy reform to ensure these manufactures are transparent with the ingredients of the products they are selling and the impact of using said products. Greater restrictions on warning labels and stricter enforcements regarding the sale of these products must be put in place.
Respiratory distress and nicotine dependence are health complications that are no longer reserved for chronic cigarette smokers but rather young persons that engage in vaping. Concerns must be raised towards the marketing of these nicotine filled products to a generation that is still developing not only physically but also neurologically.
Aaliyah Lara is a member of Healthy Caribbean Youth and a medical student at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine with a strong passion for the advocacy of non-communicable diseases and reproductive health, especially in young persons.