Teen Vaping Drops 40% In Last Year - Forbes

apenabe.blogspot.com

Topline

Teen vaping dropped 40% from 2020 to 2021, according to a new government report that points to a possible larger downward trend in overall use among younger people—though a quarter of high school respondents reported they vape every day.

Key Facts

The national online survey from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 11% of high school students and 3% of middle school students had used e-cigarettes or related products in the last 30 days in 2021, compared to the 20% of high schoolers and 5% of middle schoolers who said they did in 2020, according to the Associated Press.

In 2019, a high of 28% of high school students said they were recent users.

This was the first year the survey was conducted online instead of in schools, and the study authors cautioned against comparing the results against previous years “due to potential underreporting.”

Crucial Quote

“These data highlight the fact that flavored e-cigarettes are still extremely popular with kids. And we are equally disturbed by the quarter of high school students who use e-cigarettes and say they vape every single day,” said director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products Mitch Zeller, J.D.

Big Number

1.72 million high schoolers and 320,000 middle schoolers — that’s how many students those 11% and 3% of teens represent.

What To Watch For

These numbers in the report represent use from January 2021 to May of this year. Surveys taken during the second half of the year — and after more students have returned to classrooms in person — could show different results.

Surprising Fact

Puff Bar, not JUUL, is the most popular e-cigarette brand.

Key Background

The FDA has taken a huge swing at the vaping industry to try and combat teen use of the products. In June, popular e-cig maker JUUL was fined $40 million by North Carolina over its marketing to younger users. The nicotine-heavy products caused an “epidemic” in 2019, when the CDC urged vapers to stop after hundreds of people fell ill with a lung illness and a handful of people died. As a result, New York state banned flavored nicotine vapor products last year. Flavors are particularly popular with teens — the FDA survey said nearly 85% of recent teen users opted for flavored ones.