Vaping is becoming an increasingly serious issue among young people in Aruba, according to the Aruban Anti-Drug Foundation (F.A.D.A.). While the foundation has been monitoring the trend since 2019, it was not considered a major concern at the time. That changed in 2024, when FADA saw a surge in requests for educational talks about vaping, along with reports of students experimenting with it at school.
The findings come from the 2023 Aruba STEPS Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Survey, conducted between March and July 2023 by Aruba’s Ministry of Tourism and Public Health, with support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The report, published in 2024, found that 13% of Aruba’s population smokes, with 7% doing so daily.
Men are nearly twice as likely to smoke as women—19% compared to 9%. The gender gap is especially wide among young adults aged 18 to 29, where 19% of men report smoking, compared to just 6% of women in the same age group.
Vaping has become the most commonly used tobacco product on the island, especially among young men. Traditional cigarettes and hand-rolled tobacco also remain popular among male smokers. Despite the risks, the data shows some positive signs: 43% of male smokers and more than half of female smokers attempted to quit in the past year.
The survey also highlights a sharp rise in vaping among young people. Fourteen percent of men and 8% of women aged 18 to 29 currently use e-cigarettes or other vaping devices. Although daily use remains relatively low—between 1% and 2%—the numbers are significantly higher among younger age groups, with usage decreasing as age increases.
FADA warns that vaping is no longer just a passing trend but a growing health concern, particularly for Aruba’s youth. The foundation continues to call for greater awareness, education , and support to help reduce vaping and its risks in the community.
