Vaping sending youth to hospital

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton is warning about the possible dangers to the health of students caused by vaping.

"We have seen cases where students have been rushed to the A&E [accident and emergency ward] due to the effects of vaping," said Tufton, emphasising the urgent need for educational outreach and preventive measures. He noted that the growing accessibility of vaping products, often marketed with appealing flavours and misleading perceptions of safety, poses a significant risk to young people. Speaking at the press launch for the findings of the 2023 National Drug Prevalence Survey yesterday, Tufton said the survey revealed that while traditional substances like alcohol and cannabis remain prevalent, newer psychoactive substances, such as those involved in vaping, present unique challenges.

"New psychoactive substances are poorly understood and present distinct public health challenges," Tufton pointed out. "The data shows that seven per cent of the population reported using e-cigarettes at some point in their lifetime." The minister reiterated the need for continued vigilance and action, particularly as the global trend shows an increase in drug use.

"Our goal with this survey is to guide public health policy and intervention programmes that can help prevent substance abuse among our youth and ensure they have access to accurate information to make informed decisions," he said, while noting that users don't know the health risks that vaping has, believing that it is safer than cannabis or tobacco use.

"What I'm saying is for now, it's about understanding, and then beyond that we move to the next level in terms of the specific intervention [and] collaboration that's required. Already there is in the school system, Ministry of Education, [and] Ministry of Health. We're going to have to do more and certainly around vaping which is a big problem. And again, it has to start with education and then collaboration around the response."

The research in the survey covered various aspects of substance use, including prevalence, socio-demographic profiles, and risk perception, which she noted plays a crucial role in determining usage behaviour.