THE Healthy Caribbean Coalition has recommended that Jamaica targets policymakers to push education and health literacy so as to discourage the use of e-cigarettes.

The recommendations were published in the 2023 report, Vaping among adolescents and youth in the Caribbean: Situation, policy responses and recommended actions, done by Healthy Caribbean Coalition, a non-profit regional network focused on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

“Target policymakers to obtain their buy-in, boost political will, and obtain their support, and [target] adolescents and youth themselves, their caregivers, and agencies that engage or support them, in diverse settings such as school, work, and community,” the report urged.

The report was done in an effort to analyse the situation regarding e-cigarette use among adolescents and youth in the Caribbean, the policy responses across the region that are addressing this growing challenge, and the emerging global guidance and best practices.

The recommendations also called for implementation of e-cigarette products and primary care screening for smoking and vaping, to appropriately respond to tobacco usage among adolescents and youth locally.

“Tobacco use is one of the main NCD risk factors; and in the Caribbean region, as globally, there has been progress in reducing the use of tobacco, including among adolescents and youth,” the report said.

“However, this progress is being put at risk by an increase in the use of e-cigarettes or vapes, particularly among young people,” the report added.

Data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2018 indicates that current use of e-cigarettes among 13-15-year-old students ranges from 4.0 per cent in Antigua and Barbuda to 11.0 per cent in St Lucia; 11.7 per cent in Jamaica; and 17.2 cent in Trinidad and Tobago.

Last week during the launch of the report health officials urged a ban on tobacco ads, promotions and sponsorship of e-cigarettes, after concerns expressed by youth came to light about the tactics being used to lure their peers into purchasing e-cigarettes.

“Here in the [United] States and all around the world, very attractive-named flavours are designed to hook [the] younger population. You can see how kids have shifted dramatically to these products. The only way to tackle this issue and to end the use of these flavoured products is by banning e-cigarettes,” one health official said.

Meanwhile, other recommendations include evaluating programmes to prevent and reduce the use of e-cigarettes among adolescents and youth, and establishing facilities and strategies to manage and treat addiction and e-cigarette users who wish to quit, including counselling and nicotine replacement therapy.