ORANJESTAD (AAN) – FADA Warns Many Aruba Children Vape With Parental Approval, as the Fundacion Anti Droga Aruba (FADA) raises growing concerns about underage vaping and alcohol use among school-aged children on the island.
According to Rulienne Arends of Fundacion Anti Droga Aruba (FADA), vaping has become the most requested topic for educational presentations in Aruba’s schools over the past three years.
Arends said children are beginning to use vaping products at increasingly younger ages, with peer pressure playing a significant role in encouraging the habit.
Teachers regularly contact FADA to report that even primary school students are arriving at school carrying vape devices, despite having previously attended educational sessions explaining the health risks and consequences of vaping.
She also noted that vape products continue to be sold in several supermarkets and expressed concern about the lack of sufficient enforcement to prevent sales to minors.
Although vaping remains the organization’s most frequently requested educational topic, FADA also receives many requests for presentations about alcohol use among young people.
According to Arends, many children gain access to alcoholic beverages in their own homes, where parents or guardians sometimes allow them to try alcohol. She added that, in many cases, young people are not hiding their use of these substances because it is permitted within the family environment.
FADA believes the issue extends beyond children’s behavior alone. The normalization of vaping and alcohol consumption at home, combined with insufficient oversight of underage sales, may contribute to young people failing to recognize the serious health risks involved.
“The vaping problem is becoming more serious every day. Some children understand the information FADA shares and admit they were unaware of the dangers. But there are also children who are not concerned because vaping is allowed at home, they have access to vape devices there, and they do not see the risks, so they continue using them,” Arends said.
FADA continues to work with schools across Aruba to educate students about substance use while encouraging greater parental awareness and stronger enforcement of regulations intended to protect minors from vaping and alcohol-related harm.
