The FDA moving forwards with disgusting anti-vaping crusade
While opinions may be divided over vaping, the FDA is most definitely united in its condemnation of the technology. The government body has always put vaping and smoking in the same category, and they seem dedicated to their anti-vaping agenda. The FDA recently launched an awareness campaign to highlight the danger vaping represents for adolescents.
In the USA, vaping has become known as Juuling, a fact that can be explained by the meteoric rise of Juul’s branded vaping devices in minor populations. A study by the FDA in 2017 concluded that 2.1 million students had tested the device. This is a source of worry for those who, mistakenly, see vaping as a gateway to smoking cigarettes.
An anti-Juul awareness campaign for minors
The FDA is busting out the big guns across social networks, video advertisements, and visual media, to reach younger populations. The objective is to help the youth understand the dangers of vaping. In particular, they point to the Juul’s high concentration in nicotine. The campaign, entitled “The Real Cost”, is in many ways an extension of the current anti-smoking campaign.
FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb is deeply worried about the rise in popularity of Juuls and e-cigs generally. Inhis opinion, there are not enough studies available, in particular long-term research, to conclusively prove vaping is harmless. While vaping presents much less health risks than tobacco, the risk is highest for non-smokers. Vaping is seen as not only a smoking substitute for those trying to quit, but paradoxically a gateway to smoking tobacco.
