NDC and CICS Unmask the Appeal of Vapes

Today, the National Drug Council (NDC) and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society come together to observe World No Tobacco Day 2025, highlighting this year’s theme: "Bright Products. Dark Intentions. Unmasking the Appeal." This global campaign, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), focuses on the deceptive marketing tactics used by the tobacco and e-cigarette industries, particularly targeting young people with appealing flavours, packaging, and misleading advertising.

The tobacco and e-cigarette industries employ a range of manipulative marketing strategies to make their products attractive, especially to young people. Brightly coloured packaging, appealing flavours, and social media influencers are used to create the illusion that these products are safe and enjoyable, when in fact they pose significant health risks. This year’s theme, "Unmasking the Appeal," calls for these harmful practices to be exposed and urges the public to make informed decisions.

According to the 2024 Cayman Islands Student Drug Use Survey (CISDUS), the rise in e-cigarette use among young people is a growing concern. The survey reveals that approximately 15.6% of students have first used an e-cigarette by the age of 13 years or younger, with the average age of first use being just 12.5 years. The global rise in youth use of e-cigarettes highlights how the tobacco industry continues to target younger generations, using tactics designed to create a new generation of nicotine users.

WHO reports that there are over 16,000 unique flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, with these flavours often cited as the primary reason young people start using these products. The CISDUS 2024 data further indicates that e-cigarettes have become the second most commonly used substance among students, with 1 in 5 students aged 11–18 years having used an e-cigarette in their lifetime.

“The tobacco and e-cigarette industries have long used manipulative tactics to make harmful products seem attractive to young people, all while downplaying the risks. We are only now beginning to realise the true and horrific damage this new wave of e-cigarettes, or vapes, are capable of,” said Dave O’Driscoll, Head of Operations at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. “World No Tobacco Day is a crucial opportunity to highlight these deceptive marketing practices and raise awareness about the very real health dangers that come with using these products.”

Brenda Watson, Director of the National Drug Council, added, “It’s essential that we expose the manipulative tactics of the tobacco industry and make clear to the public, especially our youth, that there is no such thing as a ‘safe’ tobacco or e-cigarette product. The rise in youth smoking and vaping is alarming, and we must work together to protect our future generations from addiction and its associated harms.”

To combat the appeal of tobacco and e-cigarette products, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the National Drug Council recommend the following preventive measures:

Tobacco and E-Cigarettes: There is no safe level of tobacco or e-cigarette use. If you do not use tobacco products, DON’T START. If you do, try to quit today.

Physical Activity: Regular exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of many types of cancer. Aim for 30–90 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity most days of the week.

Healthy Diet: A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can lower your cancer risk. Limit processed foods and red meat.

Stress Management: While stress may not directly cause cancer, it can lead to unhealthy behaviours that increase cancer risk. Practice stress management techniques such as mindfulness and relaxation.

For those who wish to quit smoking or using e-cigarettes, there are various support programmes and resources available locally:

Public Health Department's 'I Can Quit' Smoking Cessation Programme: This free programme helps individuals quit tobacco dependency through support from medical professionals, group meetings, and medication. The programme is run twice a year in February and June. For more details, visit: I Can Quit Smoking.

Freedom from Smoking Programme: Sponsored by Health City Cayman Islands, this free programme provides group support and over-the-counter aids like gum and patches to help individuals stop smoking in a positive, non-judgmental environment. The programme is designed to help individuals quit tobacco for good, combining group support with practical tools. For more information, email StopSmoking@HealthCity.ky.

Free Cessation Resources: For those interested in quitting, free cessation kits, including patches and guidance, are available at local community centres, and helplines for quitting are provided through services like Smokefree.gov.

This World No Tobacco Day, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the National Drug Council are urging everyone to reject the marketing tactics of the tobacco and e-cigarette industries. By unmasking the appeal of these products, we can help reduce tobacco and e-cigarette use and protect public health.

For more information on quitting tobacco or e-cigarettes and accessing support resources, please contact the Cayman Islands Cancer Society at 949-7618 or email info@cics.ky.