Why is the Caribbean suddenly the focus of lobbying by groups like the World Vapers’ Alliance, Smoke Free Sweden and We Are Innovation? The answer is clear: our region is being targeted as an entry point for industry-driven narratives designed to weaken strong tobacco control ahead of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
The arguments presented in recent published articles—available on August 11th in the NationNews, August 28th in Barbados Today, September 10th in News Americas Now, September 15th in Fox44News and September 29th in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian — and social media campaigns targeting Barbados and Trinidad are not grounded in independent public health science. The latest piece even tried to characterize Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Health data-collection efforts as supportive of a tobacco industry harm reduction agenda They repeat the same talking points pushed by tobacco and related industries for years: that electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products are “harm reduction” tools. What they do not say is that these products are aggressively marketed to children and youth worldwide, that they are addictive, and that their long-term health impacts remain uncertain. Use of these products among adolescents is strongly linked to subsequent initiation of cigarette and other tobacco product use, with ever-users having over three times the risk of starting cigarettes.
Nicotine is not harmless. It is highly addictive and linked to cardiovascular disease, cancers, and impaired brain development in children and adolescents. Electronic nicotine delivery systems often contain nicotine levels as high or higher than cigarettes. Industry claims that these products are safer are not matched by independent research.
On its official webpage, the World Health Organization cautions that “the tobacco industry profits from destroying health and is using these newer products to get a seat at the policy making table with governments to lobby against health policies. WHO is concerned that the tobacco industry funds and promotes false evidence to argue that these products reduce harm, while at the same time heavily promoting these products to children and non-smokers and continuing to sell billions of cigarettes.” This warning underscores that these products are not part of a genuine public health solution, but rather another strategy for the industry to expand its markets and undermine effective tobacco control.
Dr. Arthur Phillips, Deputy Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Barbados, expressed concern about the Caribbean, especially Barbados, being targeted by these campaigns noting, “As Small Island Developing States, our limited health resources and high burden of non‑communicable diseases make us especially vulnerable to the long‑term costs of tobacco and nicotine addiction. Barbados has made significant progress in advancing tobacco control but these products are not without risk, particularly for our young people.”
In alignment with this warning, the Barbados National NCD Commission recently issued a strong response to these narratives, noting that while Barbados has made progress in reducing smoking rates through measures such as banning cigarettes in public places, the rise of vaping presents a new and serious threat. The Commission emphasized that both nicotine and non-nicotine electronic delivery systems pose health risks, are aggressively marketed to youth with sweet flavours and bright packaging, and can fuel a new wave of addiction.
The Caribbean has worked hard to strengthen tobacco control. Our governments are Parties to the WHO FCTC, which calls for protecting public health policies from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry. The “harm reduction” narrative promoted by the tobacco industry undermines this obligation by positioning industry-linked products as a solution. This is not tobacco cessation, it is profit-driven market expansion.
Mrs. Barbara McGaw, Project Manager at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica and Healthy Caribbean Coalition’s Tobacco Control Advisor, cautionED that this is part of a broader industry playbook: “Big Tobacco is shapeshifting into our culture, targeting our most vulnerable and selling harm disguised as a solution. We are losing another generation to these new tools of addiction. Caribbean governments must act now, applying the WHO’s MPOWER package with urgency to counter the spread of electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems.”
Data on e-cigarette use in the region is limited but the 2018 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) found current use of e-cigarettes among 13–15-year-old students ranging from 4% in Antigua and Barbuda, 11% in St. Lucia, 11.7% in Jamaica, and as high as 17.2% in Trinidad and Tobago. Alarmingly, in Suriname, youth e-cigarette use grew from 5.9% in 2016 to 8.8% in 2022.
Dr. Asante LeBlanc, Former Chairperson and current Director on the Board of Directors of the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society stated “Rising youth e-cigarette use was a wake-up call. In 2022 we created the ‘Can’t Fool Me’ campaign, in 2024 we launched ‘Don’t Follow The Cloud – Lead the Crowd’ and this year, 2025 we launched the “Clear the Air” campaign with the Scotiabank Foundation to take the message directly into secondary schools. Both of these campaigns used creative, youth-driven storytelling to expose industry tactics and empower students to lead change in their communities at all levels. Protecting this generation from nicotine addiction is not just a campaign goal; it is a public health priority.”
As a youth tobacco control advocate, I found the image used in the World Vapers’ Alliance article published August 11th particularly troubling. The article features a young black woman happily vaping, a moment that might look stylish or harmless at first glance. But behind the haze is an industry that has worked hard to make vaping appear trendy, masking the reality that these products can still deliver addictive nicotine and other harmful chemicals. The image also reveals exactly who these products are marketed to: impressionable youth. It reflects a generation being enticed into lifelong nicotine addiction by companies that profit from our health and our futures.
The call to action is urgent: Caribbean governments must go to COP11 united and vocal. We must defend strong, evidence-based tobacco control policies, reject industry interference, and push for global agreements that protect our populations from nicotine addiction in all its forms. We must champion measures that we know work: higher tobacco taxes, bans on advertising, strong smoke-free laws, graphic health warnings, and accessible cessation services.
Author Bio:
Ms. Dorial Quintyne, MPH, is a public health professional based in Barbados and a member of Healthy Caribbean Youth.
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