Growing up in today's world is tough. There's peer pressure, social media, and a consumer culture pushing items at kids and teens every minute of the day. But while we try to guide our children through these challenges, an insidious threat has emerged—one masked by sleek marketing campaigns and the allure of modern technology: vaping. This isn't just about health risks. This is about manipulation. The vaping industry targets young people across the world, painting vaping as a safe, desirable alternative to smoking. But it's a trap, not a choice, and one every country must eliminate for its under-18s.

We often hear that vaping harms lung development or leads to nicotine addiction. But these are symptoms of the real problem—a global industry that profits from the manipulation of young minds, regardless of border or nationality. From the UK to the US, and from Australia to India, vaping is glamorized with trendy flavors and slick packaging, all strategically designed to appeal to teenagers. Brands use social media and influencers—platforms that don't stop at any border—to build a culture around vaping, making it seem like a "cool" activity instead of what it truly is: a health risk and a slippery slope into nicotine dependency.

Surveys from multiple countries tell the same story. Health bodies in the UK, the US, and elsewhere have each reported that a significant share of teenagers have tried vaping, with curiosity cited as the leading reason. This "curiosity" isn't born from genuine choice—it's the product of targeted marketing engineered to work the same way in every market it reaches. A teenager in London, Los Angeles, or Lucknow is being sold the same story, by the same industry, for the same reason: profit.

We cannot allow young people anywhere to fall victim to this calculated exploitation. Banning vaping for under-18s isn't about infringing on freedoms—it's about protecting youth everywhere from becoming victims of a well-engineered trap. Nations around the world have already prohibited tobacco sales to minors for exactly this reason. It's time every country does the same with vaping products—and closes the loopholes that let the industry simply move its marketing from one market to the next when one nation cracks down.

A ban that exists in only one country solves only part of the problem. The vaping industry operates globally, and its tactics—flavors, influencers, sleek packaging—travel just as easily as its products. If we protect children in one nation while leaving the door open elsewhere, we haven't ended the exploitation; we've only relocated it. This is why the call to action cannot stop at national borders.

Join the call for lawmakers everywhere — not just in the UK, but in every country where this industry operates — to ban the sale of vaping products to anyone under 18. By doing so, we don't just safeguard the health of children in one nation; we send a united, global message to the vaping industry: exploitation of youth will not be tolerated anywhere. Stand with us in championing this cause, wherever you are. Together, across borders, we can protect the next generation.