LILLIPUT, St James — President of Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Dr Mark Smith has come out in support of Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton’s call for tobacco legislation now being crafted to include measures that will also address the use of e-cigarettes among teenagers.

“The reality is we need to have strong and robust legislation. We need to have legislation that can protect our children from developing addictions,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday.

He is concerned that students do not fully grasp the health implications of vaping nor realise that it can lead to long-term issues with lung capacity and breathing.

“There have been some studies that look at the negative impact on your lungs and so we have to be careful of that — because it is well-researched that it is not safe. When you find a child with an e-cigarette they’ll tell you it’s safe, it’s not as bad as smoking a cigarette or marijuana or whatever,” explained Smith.

The JTA president also pointed out that in the United States there has been significant pushback as lawmakers try to put guardrails around those they view as easily exploited by manufacturing companies.

“That is where the Government policy is so important, and ensuring that we don’t have a generation that becomes hooked on liquorice and the old e-cigarettes,” stated Smith.

He shared his views on the extent of the problem within Jamaica’s school system.

“Based on my own experience and discussions, it’s not rampant [among younger children] but every now and then you’ll find a child carrying one to school, or hiding and using their parent’s or their big sister’s or brother’s e-cigarette. But the problem I think you’ll find is: You see a lot more [use] at the high school level and the tertiary level where[by] many of our young adults get addicted to this type of thing. It’s seen as fashionable without recognising the huge health risk that it poses to them in the long term,” argued Smith.

His comments are in line with concerns expressed by the health minister on the sidelines of a Health and Wellness Ministry strategic planning retreat at Iberostar Resort in Rose Hall, St James, last week Wednesday. Tufton told journalists that parliamentary joint select committees are far advanced in their work which will then be debated for the possible passing of a tobacco law. The minister added that part of the legislation will address e-cigarettes, as well as enforcement and public education surrounding vaping.

“That is going to be included. The same rules that will apply to traditional tobacco will apply to e-cigarettes,” he stated.

Tufton explained that the legislation will focus on age restrictions, where e-cigarette use is and is not permitted, as well as all promotional aspects of these devices.

However, he stressed he was not suggesting an outright ban.

“We would like to discourage consumption altogether but we also recognise that we are in a society where people are old enough to make decisions, and the freedom of choice that we support as a philosophy is maintained,” the minister said.

But he is particularly concerned that e-cigarettes are being designed to evade detection and appeal to youngsters.

“They are easily camouflaged in the school system; they are like pens and pencils. They have other forms of marketing attached to them — whether it’s colours, whether it’s the smell of the tobacco, it’s the fluid that’s inside, different flavours — and it really is trying to target a wide cross section of the market,” stated Tufton.

“The market is changing, and the marketing that is being deployed around these devices has become very attractive and catchy to the younger population, which means bad habits being developed and danger to themselves in their early years,” the minister added.

A person using an e-cigarette. President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Dr Mark Smith says students do not fully grasp the health implications of vaping nor realise that it can lead to long-term issues with lung capacity and breathing.