Health Rights
Public health is a vast domain, yet few challenges warrant immediate attention, such as rapidly penetrating use of vapes, e-cigarettes, and similar nicotine-delivery devices among young people. What began as a trend marketed as a ‘safer alternative’ to smoking has, unfortunately, become a new gateway to addiction. Across Pakistan and globally, adolescents and young adults are increasingly experimenting with these products under the false belief that they are harmless or less dangerous than conventional cigarettes.
Scientific evidence tells a very different story. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States, e-cigarettes and vapes expose users to toxic substances, including nicotine, heavy metals, and carcinogenic chemicals. They can impair brain development in adolescents, damage lung function, and lead to long-term nicotine dependency. Studies have also shown that many young people who start vaping eventually transition to smoking traditional cigarettes, compounding the health risk.
This is not the first time Pakistan has faced such a deceptive public health challenge. In 2006, when sheesha smoking gained popularity as a supposedly harmless pastime, the Principal Adviser of the Law, Justice & Rights Nexus (LJRN) – then serving as Assistant Commissioner in Islamabad – conducted a research-based inquiry into its health impacts and subsequently imposed a ban on its serving in hotels and restaurants within his jurisdiction. The decision faced strong media criticism at the time, yet years later the Supreme Court of Pakistan validated those concerns through a detailed judgment recognizing the associated health hazards. That early intervention stands today as a landmark in preventive public health governance.
Nearly two decades later, a similar danger looms in the form of vapes, e-cigarettes, and nicotine products disguised as lifestyle accessories. At the Nexus, we believe it is time to act again – through awareness, advocacy, and evidence-based policy. The Nexus will strive to protect younger generations from this growing menace, working alongside government bodies, educators, and parents to ensure that our youth breathe clean air and live free from addiction.
