PESHAWAR:The Provincial Alliance for Sustainable Tobacco Control Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expresses its deep concern regarding the recently held Vape Expo Pakistan 2025 in Lahore, which took place from February 7th to 9th, 2025.
The event, billed as a platform to promote international vaping brands and create collaboration among industry pioneers, retailers, and enthusiasts, represents a dangerous shift in public health priorities in Pakistan.
This expo, far from being a harmless celebration of technological innovation, serves as a catalyst for the promotion of e-cigarettes and vaping devices that have been associated with a host of health risks. While organizers claim that vaping is a form of harm reduction compared to traditional tobacco smoking, mounting scientific research indicates that these devices expose users to toxic chemicals, potentially leading to serious respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
The long-term health impacts of vaping remain largely uncertain, but preliminary evidence suggests that these products are far from benign.
The event’s high-profile nature has only amplified its impact, especially among the youth. By glamorizing vaping and presenting it as a trendy alternative to conventional smoking, such gatherings risk enticing non-smokers and young people, who may be more vulnerable to the allure of nicotine addiction.
This is particularly alarming given the current global trends that show a significant rise in youth uptake of e-cigarettes, which could reverse decades of progress made in tobacco control and public health awareness.
Critically, the narrative of harm reduction promoted at the expo is nothing more than a strategic diversion. It is a carefully constructed narrative pushed by the tobacco industry and its affiliated front groups to mitigate the public’s awareness of the inherent dangers of nicotine consumption.
These groups exploit the lack of stringent regulatory oversight in Pakistan to market products that continue to pose significant risks, despite claims to the contrary.
Civil society activist Qamar Naseem, a prominent advocate for public health, stated, “The Vape Expo Pakistan 2025 is a harmful misstep that misleads our communities into thinking that vaping is a harmless alternative. This event not only endangers public health but also undermines the integrity of tobacco control policies designed to protect our youth and vulnerable populations.”
Adding to the call for decisive action, Mr. Usman Afiridi, Chairman of the Grow Up Youth Lead Organization, stated,“We must not allow the commercialization of vaping to take root in our society. The promotion of these products, especially under the guise of harm reduction, is a thinly veiled attempt to bypass effective regulations. It is imperative that our government takes a stand against such events and enforces a complete ban on e-cigarettes and vapes.”
In light of the concerns raised by this expo, the Provincial Alliance for Sustainable Tobacco Control Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is urging the Government of Pakistan to implement immediate and comprehensive measures.
These measures should include the enactment of strict regulations governing the sale, marketing, and usage of e-cigarettes and vaping products. There is an urgent need to ban future events that serve as promotional platforms for vaping products, especially those that implicitly endorse a narrative of harm reduction without adequate scientific backing.
Furthermore, the Alliance calls for robust public health campaigns aimed at educating the community about the dangers of vaping. Such campaigns should emphasize the potential health risks and the likelihood of nicotine addiction, countering the misleading claims circulated by the vaping industry.
Only through informed public discourse and strict regulatory oversight can we hope to curb the growing threat posed by these products.
