Increasing Teenage Use of E-Cigarettes in South Africa

According to South African media source Witness, on March 16, a student at a school in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, said in an interview that they typically bring e-cigarettes to school and keep them in their pencil cases.

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine reports that the proportion of teenagers using e-cigarettes increased by 10% in just one year between 2017 and 2018, amounting to approximately 1.3 million teenagers. In South Africa, the legal age for purchasing and using e-cigarettes is 18 years old. The age restriction is enforced through various measures.

Age verification at point of sale: Retailers need to verify the age of customers, such as by checking driver's licenses or ID cards; Online age verification: Online e-cigarette retailers must implement age verification systems to ensure customers meet legal age requirements; Penalties for violations: Retailers who sell e-cigarette products to minors will face penalties and legal consequences. A student at a school in Petermaritzburg said they typically bring e-cigarettes to school in pencil cases.

These items are very small and can fit in our pockets. Both my friends and I have our own, so buying one is not a problem. There is a store within a few minutes' walk from our school where we can buy e-cigarettes. I prefer e-cigarettes over traditional cigarettes because they do not have a strong odor and do not blacken my lips.

The head of the education department in the province of South Africa, Muzi Mahlambi, stated that schools play a central role in addressing and solving the issue of adolescent smoking.

This crisis is a social issue. Only with cooperation between parents and schools can it be resolved. If parents take it seriously, children will not come into contact with these things.