OBSERVER COASTAL | School survey reveals widespread vaping among teens

A senior World Health Organization (WHO) official has warned that nicotine addiction among teenagers is not accidental but deliberately engineered by the tobacco and vape industry, as new national data reveals that nearly one in four school-going adolescents in Namibia currently uses vaping products. Speaking at the World No Tobacco Day commemoration held at the Kuisebmond Stadium Sport Field in Walvis Bay last week, WHO Country Representative Dr. Richard Banda presented findings from the 2024 Namibia Global School-based Student Health Survey. The survey found that 23% of students aged 13 to 17 currently use vaping products, 18% use other tobacco products, while 9% smoke traditional cigarettes. Boys reported significantly higher usage rates, with nearly 30% admitting to e-cigarette use. Banda told an audience of government officials, health workers, and community members that the tobacco and nicotine industry has adapted its tactics to target young people through flavours, colourful designs, digital marketing, and social media influence. These products, including electronic cigarettes, vapes, and nicotine pouches, are often presented as fashionable or less dangerous than traditional cigarettes. Banda rejected this framing. “The reality is clear. All tobacco use is risky, and nicotine is harmful to developing brains,” he said. He explained that exposure to nicotine during adolescence can affect brain development, increase dependence, and make quitting substantially harder later in life. The event was opened by Erongo Governor Nathalia /Goagoses, who warned that tobacco use is a primary cause of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and lung diseases. She advised young people to desist from all forms of tobacco use, including vaping and e-cigarettes. “What may look like fashion today may have dire consequences in future,” she said. /Goagoses also noted that tobacco use leads to poverty as families divert funds from food, education, and healthcare to purchase tobacco products. She called on smokers to limit second-hand smoke exposure to others and the environment. Banda commended the Namibian government for its leadership in tobacco control, including tightening market regulations, creating smoke-free public spaces, expanding community health education, and building accessible support systems to help people quit. He made a specific call to action regarding schools, arguing that every school should be tobacco-free and nicotine-free, and that every learner should receive accurate information on the harms of tobacco and nicotine. He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to support Namibia in protecting young people. “The tobacco and nicotine industry has engineered addiction for profit. Together, let us unmask the appeal. Together, let us protect Namibia’s children and young people. Together, let us build a healthier, tobacco-free and nicotine-free generation,” he said.