Vaping has become a widespread and troubling issue among teenagers, with flavours, colourful designs and easy accessibility driving its popularity, according to child and adolescent psychotherapist Nicolette Williams of Verdun House.

Research conducted by the substance abuse charity over the past four years in secondary schools has revealed alarming levels of vape use among young people, Williams told reporters on the sidelines of a grant presentation to a number of charities from Ross University on Tuesday.

“So vaping is a very widespread action that you see a lot of young people doing,” she said. “It is very casually accepted worldwide and now in Barbados we’re seeing that it is accepted as well, especially amongst young people.”