The Public Relations & Communications Department organized the 25th interactive series of ZU Dialogues, titled “Vapes, Cigarettes & Pouches: The New Traps Targeting Gen Z.” The session shed light on the alarming rise of vapes, e-cigarettes, and nicotine pouches among youth. Zeeshan Danish, Project Coordinator, Society for Alternative Media and Research (SAMAR), Islamabad, explained how the tobacco industry rebrands harmful products as “new tobacco” or “harm reduction” to mislead young people. He warned that these deceptive terms mask the reality of addiction and long-term health risks. From a socio-psychological perspective, Dr. Jamshaid Ahmed, Sports & Exercise Psychologist, Ziauddin University, highlighted how peer pressure and advertising lure students toward these products, while Prof. Dr. Syed Ali Raza, Consultant & Head of Medicine, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital, stressed that every cigarette contains over 400 chemicals directly linked to life-threatening diseases. Rana Hussain, Former Caretaker Minister for Education, Sindh, and Principal, College of Education, Ziauddin University, emphasized that weak enforcement of existing laws is allowing tobacco use to spread even among school-going children, urging collective responsibility from parents, teachers, and institutions. The session began with a welcome address by Dr. Sumaira Khowaja Panjwani, Principal, College of Nursing & Midwifery, Ziauddin University, who reminded students that they are not targets but changemakers who can break the cycle of addiction. Moderated by Amir Shahzad, Convener of ZU Dialogues, the event concluded with an interactive Q&A, where students engaged actively with the panelists, showing strong commitment to building smoke-free campuses and communities.