(Kaieteur News) – Police, educators, and community leaders in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) met on Wednesday to confront a surge in vaping among school children, pledging tighter enforcement of Guyana’s Tobacco Control Act alongside a renewed push for parental and school-based intervention.

The multi-stakeholder meeting, held in the boardroom of New Amsterdam Secondary School, brought together representatives of law enforcement, faith-based organisations, the Mayor and Town Council, education officials, and parents. Presentations at the session confirmed what many attendees already suspected: vaping has become deeply embedded in youth culture across the region, with students increasingly found carrying e-cigarettes or vaping openly on school grounds.

Deputy Commander ‘B’ Division Guy Nurse, speaking on behalf of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), outlined the health and legal risks of e-cigarette use and said officers would respond promptly to reports of illegal sales to minors or vaping in restricted areas.