UCT study finds alarming vaping rates in high schools
A new study by the University of Cape Town has revealed alarming levels of vaping among high school pupils in South Africa.
Nearly 30% of Grade 12 students reported active use.
This first-of-its-kind research, involving over 25-thousand pupils across 52 schools, was published in the Lancet Clinical Medicine.
The study revealed that 16.8% of high school pupils have vaped in the past 30 days, with the prevalence increasing sharply by grade, reaching a concerning 29.5% among matriculants and in some schools as high as 46%.
According to Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit, the findings emphasise the highly addictive nature of vaping products.
READ: Sharp rise in KZN's smoking rates sparks concern
“This rate of vaping is of particular concern among adolescents due to the highly addictive nature of nicotine. Nicotine use during adolescence can harm the developing brain, with potential long-term effects on learning, memory and attention.
“Alarmingly, it also increases the risk of progression to conventional cigarette smoking.”
The survey also shed light on the reasons behind this growing trend, with adolescents often starting to vape due to social influences, curiosity and stress relief.
Over time, these factors evolve into dependency and a coping mechanism for emotional wellbeing, the study found.
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