Cyprus ranks among top countries for youth e-cigarette use

Cyprus ranks among the highest in Europe for youth use of e-cigarettes, with 35 per cent of 16-year-olds having tried them and 11 per cent using them daily, president of the Cyprus addiction treatment authority Christos Minas said on Monday.

Speaking on Sigma TV, Minas described the devices as a growing public health concern and a “new generation of addicts”.

He said e-cigarettes have become integrated into daily life as “an accessory, a gadget similar to a mobile phone,” and their discreet use makes detection by parents difficult, even in areas where smoking is prohibited.

Recent research shows that almost 44 per cent of 16-year-olds in Europe have tried e-cigarettes at least once, with 22 per cent reporting use in the past month.

In Cyprus, 16 per cent of young people report use in the last month, but daily use exceeds European averages, he said.

Minas highlighted the role of aggressive marketing by the tobacco industry, particularly on social media, which cultivates the impression that e-cigarettes are safer or aid in quitting conventional cigarettes.

“Even when the user realises the damage, quitting becomes extremely difficult,” he said, adding that nicotine is “highly addictive and toxic to the developing brain.”

Health risks remain under study, with the World Health Organisation and European Commission recognising a “modified risk” compared with traditional cigarettes.

The aerosol produced contains at least 70 chemical compounds, including humectants, aromatics and free radicals.

Legally, e-cigarettes containing nicotine are regulated under existing smoking laws, banning use in enclosed public spaces and sales to minors under 18.

Gaps remain for products without nicotine, many of which have incomplete or misleading labelling, Minas said.

Prevention relies on strict implementation of legislation, including measures requiring age verification for sales to adults.

Minas also highlighted the launch in Limassol of the pan-European Relief programme, which aims to develop evidence-based interventions in schools and communities.

“There are no harmless vaping products,” he said.