Teenagers vaping is a “worrisome” health risk, U.S. officials say
It is estimated that 2.55 million U.S. Middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes earlier this year. Health officials reported on Thursday, a level they described as worrying.
One in four students reported using e-cigarettes every day, according to a national survey from January 1. On May 18 and 31, the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on Thursday.
“Teen e-cigarette consumption in the United States remains of concern, and poses a serious risk to the public health of young people in our country,” said Brian King, Director of the FDA Centre for Tobacco Products.
Among students who reported using e-cigarettes, almost 85% reported using flavored versions, and over half of the disposable e-cigarettes.
“This study shows that Canada’s youth continue to be seduced and attracted by a growing variety of e-cigarette brands that provide flavored nicotine, said Deirdre Kittner of the CDC’s office on smoking and health.
The survey indicates that e-cigarette use has increased from last year but has declined significantly from 2019 and 2020 levels. However, the CDC cautioned against comparing the results with previous years because of a change in the way the data were collected.
Juul Labs Inc’s e-cigarettes were removed from the list of brands preferred by teens, according to the survey, with Puff Bars, British American Tobacco Plc’s Vuse, or Hyde reported as the most popular brands.
Since 2016, the FDA has been working to crack down on fruity, sugary electronic cigarettes that attract teens with nicotine. In January 2020, the agency banned all flavors except tobacco and menthol in e-cigarettes in Juul and others with cartridges.
A US federal appeal court in June put on hold an FDA ban on the sale of Juul’s e-cigarettes after the corporation claimed that the order would cause the corporation “irreparable harm.”
Nearly every student who completed the most recent online survey did so in class. Similar to the way data was collected in 2019, when 5.4 million students reported using e-cigarettes, and in 2020 when this number was 3.6 million.
Last year, it was estimated that 2.06 million teens reported currently using e-cigarettes, but nearly half of respondents completed the survey remotely rather than at school. The study warned last year and again this year that 2021 data is not comparable to data from other years.