It turns out that the pandemic has reaped one unexpected benefit: As teens were kept home more often, their use of electronic cigarettes dropped by nearly 40%, a new report finds.
“They found a dramatic drop from last year, and it’s hard to imagine that doesn’t represent a real decrease in use among high school and middle school students,” Dr. Nancy Rigotti of Harvard University tells the Associated Press.
The survey found that 11% of high school students and less than 3% of middle school students said they had recently used e-cigarettes and other vaping products.
The year before, almost 20% of high school students and nearly 5% of middle schoolers had used e-cigarettes, the AP reports.
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There are a few reasons for the decline in teen vaping:
1. Teens often vape socially
U.S. health officials said these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but the decrease in vaping in 2021 is probably real and makes sense because teens often vape socially, one expert told the AP.
READ: Vaping Raises Blood Clotting Risks, Harms Small Arteries
2. Teen vaping was already on the decline
Before the pandemic, teen vaping was already on the decline as federal laws increased the age for the purchase of all tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21, the AP reports. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also banned most flavored e-cigarette cartridges, which were driving the popularity of vaping among teens.
3. Deaths and illnesses
Some teens may have also reacted to the outbreak of vaping-related illnesses and deaths from vaping liquids that contained
THC, the active chemical in marijuana, the AP notes.
However, since teens are now back at school, the use of e-cigarettes may rebound.
“E-cigarette use among youth remains a serious public health concern,” CDC specialist Dr. Karen Hacker says in an FDA news release on the survey. “It’s critical we continue working together to protect young people from the risks associated with tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes.”
RELATED: FDA Tells Three Small E-Cigarette Makers to Stop Selling Flavored Products
The FDA is considering more limits on vaping. The agency plans to decide which e-cigarette brands and products can stay on the market and which must be removed, according to the AP.
The agency has not yet ruled on major manufacturers that comprise most of the market, including Juul and Vuse, but other brands are replacing these as most popular with teens, the government report says.
The top brand for high school students is a disposable e-cigarette called Puff Bar that comes in flavors like pink lemonade, strawberry and mango. These disposable flavored e-cigarettes are not regulated as tightly as Juul, which comes in menthol and tobacco only. Among students, only 6% regularly use Juul, the AP reports.
Hookah & Vaping: The Next Deadly Threat To Your Health
It is important for teens and parents to realize that vaping sets the stage for life-threatening and dangerous complications down the road as well as addiction.
The FDA notes that if you spot any of the following, report it. This will prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to teens:
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