USA: vaping is all the rage for American teens
The ever-growing number of teens getting into vaping is getting out of hand. In the USA, the rate is estimated at 37.3 % of teenagers who used an electronic cigarette in 2018, compared to 27.8 % the previous year. Like a parent’s worst nightmare, kids think vaping is cool…
The 2018 Monitoring the Future study was launched to better understand the reasons that underlie the e-cig cool factor. The research team surveyed a sample of students from a range of American high-schools. Results were published on December 17th, 2018 and signed by the research team along with the Director of NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The study indicated that teens were drawn to vaping mostly because they are well aware of the health risks of smoking tobacco. E-cigs are conclusively less toxic than traditional cigarettes, and teens want to avoid the myriad carcinogenic chemicals released via tobacco combustion. In the same vein, second-hand vapour has also proven to be much safer than second-hand smoke.
But teens love e-cigs most of all for the range of flavours available in e-juice varieties. From crème brûlée to fruity mango or strawberry or apple, to coffee or chocolate,… The list goes on…how to resist? E-liquids have something for every palate. And with e-cigs, you can control nicotine dosage with precision, designed to help smokers quit with a real alternative that is fun to experiment with and find that flavour sweet spot.
Vaping as a fashion accessory
E-cigs are infinitely customizable devices. From high-tech gadget to high-end fashion accessory, teenagers in America are loving the look of vaping. Marketing professionals have captured this trend and despite FDA regulations are hitting all the right notes with outrageous campaigns. The message is crystal: old-school cigarettes are toxic and uncool, but vaping is just plain fun.
NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, MD, is worried, as teens are not getting the other side of the message: that vaping can have health consequences, and nicotine remains an addictive substance. Teens must be aware of these risks, and there must be open and unbiased information accessible to them for all nicotine products.
