The increasing popularity of sweet-flavored disposable vapes, marketed with eye-catching colors and scents like mango and bubblegum, is sparking serious concerns about a growing nicotine addiction crisis among teenagers in Pakistan. Originally intended as smoking alternatives for adults, these devices have rapidly become a youth-driven trend, often viewed more as fashion accessories than cessation tools.
Reports indicate students as young as 14 are regularly using vapes, frequently obtaining them from small shops or online sellers where age verification is often absent or lax. Despite their playful appearance, many of these e-cigarettes contain high nicotine levels and other chemicals that pose long-term health risks. Health professionals warn that young users are particularly vulnerable to nicotine dependency, which can impair brain development and increase the likelihood of future cigarette smoking or other substance use.
The lack of clear regulation and enforcement has allowed easy underage access to these products, with many imported devices and flavored liquids sold without oversight. Public awareness of the associated risks remains low. Consequently, calls are intensifying for the Pakistani government to implement stricter controls, including flavor limitations, mandatory age checks, and school-based health campaigns, to address this "silent addiction crisis."
