Pakistan is seeing a worrying shift in how the tobacco industry targets young people. Once focused on traditional cigarettes and smokeless products like naswar and gutka, the market now includes vapes and e-cigarettes, new nicotine products packaged in bright colours and sweet flavours. These items are promoted as “safer” options, a message that appeals to teenagers looking for something trendy or socially acceptable.
Across major cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar, small shops openly sell fruit, candy and mint-flavoured vapes. They cost little, fit easily into a teen’s budget, and are widely available due to weak checks on underage sales. Low awareness among parents and schools further fuels the spread, making addiction harder to detect until it becomes serious.
Activists warn that the industry is creating a false sense of safety. Nicotine remains addictive and harmful especially for developing brains and flavoured vapes hide its harshness, drawing young users into long-term dependence. Many eventually shift to other tobacco products, giving the industry a steady customer base.
Surveys show rising tobacco use among teens. The 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey found over 10% of Pakistani adolescents aged 13–15 using tobacco, and experts believe the number has grown with the rise of vapes. With weak regulation, companies continue marketing freely, often through social media.
Youth advocates say teenagers as young as 14 buy vapes near schools, drawn in by flavours and easy access. Without government action, Pakistan may face a new wave of nicotine addiction.
Nicotine harms brain development and can cause lasting attention, learning, and behaviour problems. E-cigarettes also expose users to chemicals linked with lung injury and other health issues.
Pakistan’s tobacco control efforts focus mainly on traditional products. Without urgent regulation of new nicotine items, progress will slip away and the health of future generations will remain at risk.
Also Read: Sale of E-Cigarettes and Vapes Prohibited
