Skopje, 20 November 2025 (MIA) — The use of electronic cigarettes has increased by about 10% in the last five years partly because of social media advertising; to prevent young people from using them, schools need to promote healthy habits, public health expert Martin Petrovski told a forum titled "Let's Save Young People from Addiction" organized by the Association for the Prevention of Addictions.

Petrovski warned that these tobacco products drew young people in with "their variety of flavors, colors, easy availability and uncontrolled promotion on social networks," he said, highlighting the harm of smoking and vaping. 

"Advertisements, influencers and bloggers promote these products as something attractive and safe," he said. "This creates a false perception that they are not harmful, but the facts say otherwise."

Petrovski said if the state wanted to seriously combat this phenomenon, it needed to start by promoting healthy habits as part of the public education curriculum "because, we must admit, it is very difficult for a smoker to quit smoking," he said.

According to the public health expert, the state also needs to address the problem by updating laws and regulations. He pointed to some European countries that had already banned flavored e-cigarettes to prevent young people from using them, which he said was "an example for Macedonia to follow, too."

Occupational health physician David Zdraveski said no institution could solve the problem on its own and called for coordinated efforts by local self-governments, health care facilities, schools and families to help prevent young people from using tobacco products.

"Countries that have long-term strategies, continuously implemented over ten or more years, are successful. We have to do the same," he said.

The state needs to set clear protocols on preventing substance use as well as offer information and continuous support to young people as part of a system "that promptly prevents, recognizes and intervenes," Zdraveski said. mr/