GARDINER — Two stunning developments show why it’s no longer safe to say, “At least they’re not smoking” when referring to vaping by Maine’s youth.
A study released Tuesday indicates that adolescents who use vaping products are more likely to smoke cigarettes and also likely to increase their use of both products over time. Michael Dunbar, a behavioral scientist and lead author of the study by the Rand Corp., a nonprofit research organization, said this study “provides more evidence that young people who use e-cigarettes progress to smoking cigarettes in the future.” This study “also suggests that teens don’t substitute vaping products for cigarettes. Instead, they go on to use both products more frequently as they get older.”
On the same day, the Food and Drug Administration announced it had conducted a surprise inspection of e-cigarette maker Juul’s headquarters, removing volumes of documents related to the company’s sales and marketing practices. The inspection, prompted by concerns that Juul had marketed its products to minors, came just weeks after the FDA declared e-cigarette use has reached “epidemic” levels among youth and called for e-cigarette makers to keep their products away from minors. It has been illegal to sell e-cigarettes to minors since 2016.
Juul, which has captured over 60 percent of the U.S. e-cigarette market, seems to be particularly appealing to youth. The device is small, making it easy to hide; comes in sweet flavors; and can be customized with vibrant graphic wraps. Juuls also have tech appeal: They look like flash drives and can be charged using a computer’s USB port. The devices use cartridges of nicotine liquid that, according to the maker, contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. There have also been reports that Juuls and other vaping devices are being used by youth for marijuana e-juice – with no tell-tale smoke or odor.
Maine’s youth are not immune to this epidemic. From 2009 to 2017, youth smoking rates in Maine significantly fell, but higher rates of youth vaping suggest that interest among youth has shifted toward this new market. In addition, the return to school highlights how many youth cannot leave their e-cigarettes behind. Maine educators report this has become a common discipline problem.
The appeal and use of e-cigarettes, coupled with the lack of clarity surrounding what exactly is being inhaled, call for further research into the products’ ingredients and into both prevention and treatment interventions.
Meanwhile, there are things concerned adults can do to steer youth away from e-cigarettes:
• Don’t vape around youth. Adults are a profound influence on the young people around them. If they see parents and other adults vaping or smoking, it’s more likely that they’ll do it, too.
• Learn the facts about e-cigarettes. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association all have information to share about e-cigarettes.
• Empower youth to gather information and decide for themselves. The Truth Initiative and the FDA’s The Real Cost are online resources with plenty of facts about e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, as well as information about how nicotine is particularly hazardous to the developing adolescent brain.
• Make sure youth know that over 99 percent of e-cigarettes sold in Maine contain nicotine, which is both harmful and highly addictive. Many young people say the e-cigarettes they use are nicotine-free.
• Encourage convenience store owners to keep e-cigarettes, like all tobacco ads and products, out of minors’ view. Past Rand research indicates that most adolescents shop in convenience stores at least once per week. Those who see tobacco ads and products in convenience stores are more willing to try vaping products compared with teens who visited stores with no such displays.
These steps won’t eradicate the consumption of e-cigarettes by Maine’s youth, but we all can do something to help – starting today.
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