According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of children and teenagers using tobacco has increased for the first time since 2011. According to a report in The Daily Mail, the practice of vaping or the use of e-cigarettes among youth in America has been called an “epidemic.”
Now, the CDC has found that the vaping epidemic has driven the rate of tobacco use among minors up to 4.9 million from 3.6 million just the previous year. As of 2018, the CDC declares that the progress that has been made against underage tobacco use has been erased.
Shocking Reversal in Declines
The agency asserts that the 1.5 million teens and children who have started using e-cigarettes like Juul are solely responsible for this devastating reversal. The CDC says that, with well over 25 percent of American high school students using tobacco products and 20 percent vaping, e-cigarettes are largely to blame for this sudden increase in tobacco use. The trend in teen smoking has been a downward one since 1975, until now.
The decline in smoking has led to public health victories such as reductions in heart disease and cancer. Last year, smoking reached an all-time low among American adults. But the e-cigarette is threatening all of those gains, particularly among the youth. We casually introduced e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid. Then, e-cig companies spent millions of dollars marketing these trendy devices to young people.
The sleek Juul looked like a USB driver and was wildly popular among children and teens. Marketing and advertising campaigns promoted e-cigarettes as “cool” by getting the endorsement of celebrities. Companies also started to sell vaping liquids in flavors that would appeal to children and teens, from watermelon and cheery to cotton candy and bubble gum.
Now, more than 25 percent of high school students say they use at least one tobacco product. Many of those who smoke traditional tobacco cigarettes also vape. The FDA put tremendous pressure on Juul causing the company to say it would stop targeting teens with its marketing campaigns.
The Importance of Spreading Awareness
However, this most recent CDC study demonstrates the extent of the damage. E-cigarettes have done nothing but repackage the old poison in a new form. The industry has touted misleading information and embarked on multi-million dollar marketing campaigns to lure young people.
As product defect lawyers who represent those injured by vaping, we hope that advocates and nonprofits continue to fight the good fight and spread awareness, especially among young people, about the dangers of vaping and tobacco use. Study after study has shown that vaping has serious health risks including lung damage.
We can’t let companies that prioritize profit over our youth’s safety and health undo decades of health gains.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6692065/Youth-tobacco-use-surges-36-vaping-threatens-erase-progress-against-underage-smoking.html
