Teen Nicotine Use Surges in Pakistan as Flavoured Vapes Spread Rapidly

Key Points

• Fruit, candy and mint-flavoured vapes openly sold in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.
• Products are cheap enough for pocket-money purchases, and age restrictions are poorly enforced.
• Activists warn the industry is misleading youth with “safer alternative” claims.
• Over 10% of Pakistani teens aged 13–15 used tobacco in 2019; recent trends show rising use due to vapes.
• Social media promotion and weak regulation are accelerating uptake.
• The 2022 National Tobacco Control Strategy focuses on traditional tobacco and does not regulate new nicotine alternatives.

2Firsts, 14 November 2025 — Pakistan is witnessing a worrying surge in nicotine use among teenagers, with e-cigarettes and flavoured vapes becoming increasingly popular.

Once limited to traditional cigarettes, naswar, and gutka, the market now targets young people with trendy, sweet-flavoured products.

In cities like Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar, kiosks and small shops openly sell fruit-, candy- and mint-flavoured vapes that appeal to young customers. These items are cheap enough to be purchased with pocket money, and lax enforcement of age restrictions allows easy access.

“The industry is misleading youth by calling e-cigarettes ‘safer’,” said Qamar Naseem, a tobacco control activist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Nicotine is addictive and damaging to young minds. These products are a trap designed to create lifelong users.”

Flavoured vapes mask the harsh taste of nicotine, making them appear harmless while building addiction. Young users often move on to other tobacco products, securing a long-term market for the industry.

Evidence shows this is already happening: over 10% of teenagers aged 13–15 used tobacco in Pakistan in 2019, and recent trends suggest the numbers are growing with the popularity of vapes and e-cigarettes.

Civil society activists warn that social media marketing and weak regulations are fueling the problem. 

Nicotine harms the developing brain, affecting attention, learning, and behaviour. E-cigarettes also expose users to toxic chemicals that may cause lung injuries and other health complications.

While Pakistan has initiated frameworks like the National Tobacco Control Strategy (2022), these focus on traditional products and fail to regulate new nicotine alternatives.

Immediate policy action is critical. Controlling the sale and marketing of flavoured vapes and e-cigarettes can protect Pakistan’s youth from lifelong addiction and serious health risks.

Image source: Bloomp Pakistan