According to a recent article published by WBALTV, the investigative efforts of Chief National Investigative Correspondent Mark Albert have revealed that despite strong efforts to curtail teen vaping, use continues to rise. Over 1 in 4 teenagers has tried vaping. That statistic is staggering when considering that a few years ago, teen consumption of nicotine products was at an all-time low thanks to scientific research on the dangers of smoking and decades of anti-smoking youth campaigns.
Back in January, the FDA effectively banned the manufacture and sale of fruit-flavored vaping pods. But undercover buyers have shown that these fruit-flavored e-cigarette pods are still for sale at convenience stores across the country, making the ban virtually meaningless. The concern over fruit-flavors has been that it makes vaping much more attractive to the nation’s youth.
“The advertising will lead a horse to water, the flavors will get him to drink, and the nicotine keeps them coming back for more,” said Dr. Brian King, deputy director for research translation at the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. “That’s the trifecta of factors that have influenced youth use in this country. Flavors [are] among the primary reason that youth report using these products and that most youth e-cigarette users first start with a flavored variety.”
The novel coronavirus pandemic has shed new and disturbing light on the youth vaping epidemic. Burgeoning research from the Stanford University School of Medicine shows that teens who vape are up to seven times more likely to contract Covid-19 than their non-vaping peers.
More needs to be done to stop the youth vaping epidemic. Share this article with your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues to keep the conversation going and to find solutions. Talking about the problem and bringing it to light is the first step in overcoming it.
