Vaping is South Africa’s new epidemic – research
Vaping is the latest 'fad', but is it less harmful than cigarettes?
Hordes of South Africans have been quitting smoking in favour of vaping in recent years, which is seen to be less harmful than nicotine.
The trend has extended to schoolchildren trying their hand at vaping over smoking, saying it has no smell, it is less harmful and is easier to hide.
Twenty-five per cent of matric pupils use vapes, 30 per cent of whom use the device as soon as they wake up in the morning.
Almost a quarter require using a vape to get through the school day.
This was according to research carried out by the University of Cape Town’s Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit.
Vapes are an electronic device that stimulates a small amount of tobacco but instead of smoke, the user inhales a vapour from the cartridge.
“Vaping is certainly not without harm and, compared with fresh air, it is far more dangerous and should not be inhaled. We saw what tobacco did and we are not prepared to wait 50 years to see everyone drop dead of blue spotted lung disease,” warned Van Zyl-Smit.
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