Guyana must confront the growing vaping epidemic

Jul 08, 2026 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Every generation faces its own public health challenges. Today, one of the most pressing – and perhaps one of the least understood – is the rapid rise of vaping among our young people. While electronic cigarettes are often marketed as fashionable, modern and less harmful than traditional tobacco products, we must not allow clever marketing or misinformation to overshadow the growing body of scientific evidence. For Mindful Guyana Inc., this is not simply a conversation about nicotine or smoking. It is a conversation about mental wellness, healthy development and the future of our nation’s youth.

Mental wellness has never been more important. As Guyana undergoes unprecedented economic and social transformation, our young people are navigating a world that is changing at an extraordinary pace. They are confronted daily by academic pressures, social media influences, economic expectations, cyberbullying, changing family dynamics and the uncertainty that often accompanies adolescence. Building resilience in this environment requires more than educational achievement – it requires emotional strength, healthy coping skills and supportive communities.

Unfortunately, vaping is increasingly being presented as a solution to stress rather than what it truly is: another potential source of dependence and emotional vulnerability.

At Mindful Guyana Inc., we advocate for prevention before crisis, education before stigma, and compassion before judgement. These principles must also guide our response to youth vaping.

Many adolescents genuinely believe vaping helps them to relax. They are told that it is harmless water vapour, that it is safer than cigarettes, or that “everyone is doing it.” These misconceptions are reinforced through social media, peer influence and highly attractive flavoured products designed to appeal to younger consumers.

However, science tells a different story.

The adolescent brain continues developing until approximately 25 years of age. During this period, the regions responsible for judgement, impulse control, emotional regulation and decision-making are still maturing. Exposure to nicotine during these formative years can interfere with normal brain development and increase the risk of addiction.

The World Health Organisation has warned that nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes are harmful to adolescents and may negatively affect brain development and mental health. Young people who vape are more likely to experience nicotine dependence, mood changes, irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances and difficulties with attention and concentration.

Perhaps, most concerning is the vicious cycle nicotine creates. Many young people begin vaping because they feel anxious or overwhelmed. Initially, nicotine appears to provide relief. In reality, it is creating dependence. As nicotine levels decline, withdrawal symptoms emerge, often producing more anxiety and irritability, leading the individual to vape again. What seems like stress management gradually becomes addiction disguised as relief.

From a mental wellness perspective, this cycle deserves our immediate attention.

Mental wellness is not merely the absence of mental illness. It is the ability to manage emotions, maintain healthy relationships, recover from setbacks and make thoughtful decisions. Anything that undermines these capacities should concern us all.

International studies consistently report associations between adolescent vaping and increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, emotional distress and substance use. Researchers continue examining the complex relationship between these conditions, but public health experts agree on one point: preventing nicotine addiction among adolescents is an important component of promoting lifelong mental health.

Although Guyana awaits updated national prevalence data, available evidence suggests this issue is already affecting our young population. The 2015 Global Youth Tobacco Survey found that approximately nine per cent of students aged 13 to 15 were current users of electronic cigarettes, while nearly 15 per cent reported using some form of tobacco product. Since then, vaping devices have become more sophisticated, more accessible and more heavily promoted through digital media. Recognising this changing landscape, Guyana completed a new Global Youth Tobacco Survey in 2025 with support from the Pan American Health Organisation. The findings, once published, will provide valuable guidance for national policy and prevention efforts.

However, we do not need to wait for another report before taking action.

Teachers are seeing vaping devices in schools. Parents are expressing concern about products they often know little about. Healthcare providers are encountering young patients who underestimate the risks associated with nicotine use. Community leaders are recognising that substance use prevention must evolve to meet new realities.

The question is no longer whether vaping deserves our attention. The question is whether we will respond early enough to prevent it from becoming another entrenched public health crisis.

As Chairman of Mindful Guyana Inc., I firmly believe that prevention begins with conversation, not condemnation.

Young people deserve facts, not fear.

They deserve trusted adults who will listen before they lecture.

They deserve schools that teach emotional resilience alongside academic excellence.

They deserve healthcare services that routinely discuss nicotine, mental health and healthy coping strategies.

Most importantly, they deserve communities that recognise mental wellness as a shared responsibility.

Far too often, our society focuses on treating problems after they emerge rather than preventing them from developing. We invest significant resources once addiction, depression or behavioural difficulties become visible. Yet we sometimes overlook the importance of strengthening the protective factors that keep young people healthy in the first place.

At Mindful Guyana Inc., our work is grounded in the belief that resilience can be taught, emotional intelligence can be nurtured, and communities can become environments where mental wellness flourishes. We advocate for greater mental health literacy, earlier intervention, reduced stigma, stronger family engagement and expanded access to psychological support because these are the foundations upon which healthier lives are built.

Youth vaping should therefore be viewed within this broader context.

It is not simply about regulating products or restricting sales, although effective legislation remains important. It is about helping young people develop healthier ways of managing disappointment, anxiety, loneliness and stress before nicotine becomes their coping mechanism.

This requires a truly national response.

Government ministries, educators, healthcare professionals, parents, faith-based organisations, youth groups, sports clubs, the private sector and civil society all have important roles to play. Public awareness campaigns must reflect current scientific evidence. School health programmes should address vaping alongside broader discussions of emotional well-being and substance use prevention. Parents should feel empowered with reliable information that enables meaningful conversations at home.

Most importantly, we must ensure that mental health services remain accessible to young people who need support before experimentation becomes dependence.

Guyana’s remarkable economic progress must be matched by an equally strong commitment to protecting the emotional and psychological health of our people. National development cannot be measured solely by economic growth or physical infrastructure. It must also be measured by the resilience, hope and well-being of the next generation.

Our children are growing up in a rapidly changing world. They need more than opportunities; they need guidance. They need more than information; they need connection. They need more than rules; they need relationships built on trust, understanding and compassion.

The choices we make today will shape the health of our society for decades to come.

If we continue to place mental wellness at the heart of our national conversation, we will not only reduce the harms associated with vaping but also empower our young people to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. That is the future Mindful Guyana Inc. envisions – a Guyana where every young person is equipped with the resilience, confidence and support to thrive without dependence on substances that compromise their health and potential.

Protecting the minds of our young people is not merely a public health obligation. It is an investment in the future of Guyana itself.

Sincerely,

Royston King

Mindful Guyana Inc.

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• epidemic, Mindful Guyana Inc., Vaping

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