In several countries across the Caribbean, a student can leave school in uniform, walk into a nearby shop, or send a quick Instagram message to an online vendor and purchase a vape with little difficulty. Some are drawn in by flavours like cherry, bubble gum and cotton candy, while others see them promoted online as sleek, harmless or stress-relieving.

What many young people are not being told is that vapes are not all the same. Some contain nicotine, especially many disposable devices and pod systems, while others are labelled “nicotine-free” or “0% nicotine” but still contain flavours that appeal to children and adolescents.

Nicotine is highly addictive and can seriously affect young people’s mental health, learning, physical wellbeing and long-term development, while even nicotine-free vapes can help normalise vaping and make it seem harmless.