KARACHI: Ziauddin University hosted the 25th session of its interactive series ZU Dialogues, titled “Vapes, Cigarettes & Pouches: The New Traps Targeting Gen Z,” to highlight the rising threat of new tobacco products among youth. Speakers warned that vapes, e-cigarettes, and nicotine pouches are not harmless trends but calculated attempts by the tobacco industry to hook a new generation into lifelong addiction.
Zeeshan Danish, Project Coordinator at the Society for Alternative Media and Research (SAMAR), Islamabad, said the industry has a long history of manipulation and is now promoting so-called New Tobacco Products and Tobacco Harm Reduction Products to deceive young people. He noted that while Pakistan’s market is flooded with such products, more than 44 countries have already banned vapes and nicotine pouches.
Dr. Jamshaid Ahmed, Sports and Exercise Psychologist at Ziauddin University, said peer pressure and flashy advertising continue to push students toward harmful habits, while misconceptions about vaping create a dangerous false sense of safety. Prof. Dr. Syed Ali Raza, Consultant and Head of Medicine at Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, warned that every cigarette contains over 400 harmful chemicals linked to life-threatening illnesses and urged youth to resist these traps.
Former Sindh Education Minister and Ziauddin College of Education Principal Rana Hussain expressed concern that tobacco use has now reached school-going children, stressing that weak enforcement of existing laws undermines progress. Dr. Sumaira Khowaja Panjwani, Principal of Ziauddin College of Nursing and Midwifery, highlighted the evolution of tobacco use from hookah to vapes and nicotine pouches, warning that attractive packaging hides a lifetime of dependency.
Moderator Amir Shahzad, Convener of ZU Dialogues, said the fight against tobacco is not only about bans but about safeguarding the future of an entire generation. The session ended with a question-and-answer segment reflecting students’ growing awareness and commitment to a tobacco-free future.
