The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, Professor Francis
Petersen, cordially invites you to the 36th lecture in the UP Expert Lecture Series:
THEME: Youth vaping and cannabis co-use: Policy failure or mental health crisis?
Presented by Professor Olalekan (Lekan) Ayo-Yusuf, Professor, Chairperson and
Head of the School of Health Systems and Public Health, Facultyof Health Sciences
at the University of Pretoria.
Date: Monday, 6 October 2025
Time: 18:00
Venue: Future Africa, Hillcrest Campus, University of Pretoria
RSVP: Click here to register.
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.
The UP Expert Lecture Series provides a public platform for UP researchers to
engage with a general audience on significant developments in their fields of
expertise that are likely to have an impact in the future. We invite you to participate in
our hour-long Expert Lecture Series and to be enriched and informed by the
University of Pretoria’s research output.
Make today matter.
For inquiries please contact Lynette Smith: lynette.smith@up.ac.za