In 1965, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) began tracking cigarette smoking in the United States. Although it is still a widespread and serious problem in the US, the rates of traditional cigarette smoking have steadily declined. Now, in 2018, our nation is faced with a new tobacco use: vaping.
A new statement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that adolescents are vaping at a dangerous level. From 2017 to 2018, the FDA found an 80% increase in the number of high schoolers vaping, and a 50% increase in middle schoolers. In total, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control found that one out of five high schoolers have vaped in the last month.
Many people worry that the spike in adolescent vaping is a result of youth-targeted branding by e-cigarette companies. In particular, many people have pointed fingers at the e-cigarette brand “Juul”. In the recent past, Juul’s advertising campaigns contained images full of young faces, bright colors, and several fruit-flavored vaping options. Now, due to a series of initiatives from the FDA, Juul has recalled many of these campaigns and suspended sales of untraditional flavors.
Evidence does suggest that e-cigarettes should be safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes. However, these products are still new to the market and health-associated risks have not been fully evaluated. In addition, when adolescents vape they are still being exposed to nicotine. This is a dangerous and addictive substance which can be harmful to a developing brain.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0118-smoking-rates-declining.html
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm625884.htm
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/15/health/fda-vaping-ecigarette-regulation/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/health/juul-ecigarettes-vaping-teenagers.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4110871/
https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/knowtherisks.html
