36th UP Expert Lecture
Youth vaping and cannabis co-use: Policy failure or mental health crisis?
RSVP:
Summary:
A silent storm is brewing among South African youth – a rapid rise in vaping and
cannabis co-use. Is this an unintended consequence of recent policy shifts, such as
the Cannabis for Private Use Act of 2024 and delayed regulation of e-cigarettes? Or
are we witnessing a deeper, overlooked youth mental health crisis? Drawing on new
national survey data and global trends, this lecture explores the complex interplay
between substance use, policy, and mental well-being, while raising urgent
questions about how society and health systems should respond to protect the next
generation.
Presented by:
Professor Olalekan (Lekan) Ayo-Yusuf, Professor, Chairperson and
Head of the School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences
at the University of Pretoria.
Youth vaping and cannabis co-use: Policy failure or mental health crisis?
RSVP:
Summary:
A silent storm is brewing among South African youth – a rapid rise in vaping and
cannabis co-use. Is this an unintended consequence of recent policy shifts, such as
the Cannabis for Private Use Act of 2024 and delayed regulation of e-cigarettes? Or
are we witnessing a deeper, overlooked youth mental health crisis? Drawing on new
national survey data and global trends, this lecture explores the complex interplay
between substance use, policy, and mental well-being, while raising urgent
questions about how society and health systems should respond to protect the next
generation.
Presented by:
Professor Olalekan (Lekan) Ayo-Yusuf, Professor, Chairperson and
Head of the School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences
at the University of Pretoria.