USA: 40 % of teenagers believe e-cigarettes are nicotine free

Questions surrounding vaping risks for minors have been renewed with a new study in the USA. While the study stops short of giving credence to what the FDA believes is a “vaping epidemic,” it does nonetheless bring up some troubling news. Indeed, almost half of all minors who have already tried vaping are unaware that e-cigarettes contain nicotine.

Researchers at SUNY Stony Brook carried out the study using participants ranging from 12 to 21 years old.  The study, which was performed by doctors Rachel Boykan and Maciej Goniewicz, presented teenagers with questions about their smoking habits, their marijuana consumption, and e-cigarette use.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also taken an interest in the study. As of today, the federal agency believes that one in five seventeen year old Americans have already tried vaping, 78% more than in 2017.

Nicotine is harmful for minors

Recently published in the medical journal “Pediatrics,” the study’s alarming results showed that 40% of the teenagers surveyed did not believe they were consuming nicotine. Urine tests also revealed trace amounts of cotinine, a biomarker used to test whether or not the subject has smoked tobacco.

What is the reason for such surprising results? In part, teenagers seem to be unaware that e-cigarettes contain nicotine! This lack of knowledge about the different level of nicotine in e-cigarettes is problematic, not the least because it has been proven that nicotine can have a particularly harmful effect on developing brains.

The CDC is currently carrying out more extensive research on the effects of vaping on minors. In the last two years, more and more young people have tried e-cigarettes, but only regular smokers were found to regularly use e-cigarettes as well.