While virtual learning during the pandemic has many drawbacks — social isolation and dependence on strong self-motivation, to start — it has at least one notable benefit. A recent government report, completed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), revealed that youth vaping dropped significantly last year.
Youth Vaping Statistics
Health officials ask that readers use caution as they look at the numbers. Outside experts, however, believe that the decrease is real and makes sense, given that vaping is often done socially. In the national survey, 11 percent of high school students and less than 3 percent of middle school students reported that they had recently used e-cigarettes. These numbers show a 40 percent drop from last year, when almost 20 percent of high schoolers and 5 percent of middle schoolers admitted to recently vaping.
“They found a dramatic drop from last year, and it’s hard to image that doesn’t represent a real decrease in use [among students],” said Dr. Nancy Rigotti of Harvard University, who was not involved in the research. The decline needs to be confirmed by other surveys this year. There is, of course, the fear that the numbers could increase again with many in-person classes back in session.
If these results prove true, it would be the second big drop in a row. Reporting in 2019 resulted in a peak of 28 percent for high school students.
New Federal Restrictions for Youth Vaping
Prior to the pandemic, government restrictions began to limit the underage use of e-cigarettes. Towards the end of 2019, the purchase age for all tobacco and vaping products changed from 18 to 21. Then, the FDA banned nearly all of the flavors for cartridge-based e-cigarettes, which first ignited the popularity of teen vaping. Additionally, some kids stopped using e-cigarettes after an uptick in vaping-related illnesses and deaths. Many of these health concerns were related to a filler in black market vaping liquids that contained THC.
Despite this promising report, government officials believe that roughly two million U.S. teens and pre-teens are still vaping — a number that is much too high. “E-cigarette use among youth remains a serious public health concern,” said CDC specialist Dr. Karen Hacker. In an effort to combat this crisis, the FDA is expected to place even bigger limits on the vaping industry and remove more products from market.
For more information about the investigation into e-cigarettes, contact us today.
Additional Reading:
FDA Requests More Time to Determine Ruling About E-Cigarettes
FDA Removes 55,000 Flavored Vaping Products From Market
JUUL Labs Faces “Substantive Scientific Review” from the FDA
Tracy Everhart
Tracy Everhart is the Editor for Drug Law Journal. A highly-trained and certified medical professional, Tracy is also an accomplished medical writer. After spending years on the front lines of the medical profession, Tracy now devotes her expertise and skills to researching and reporting on new drugs and devices that enter the market, as well as their side-effects and the real-life stories involved. Prior to joining Drug Law Journal, Tracy wrote for benchmark online healthcare resources focused on families and, in particular, women’s health issues. Tracy holds post-graduate degrees from both the American College of Healthcare Sciences and the Yale School of Nursing. She is also a graduate of both Hampshire College, where she studied microbiology and the University of South Carolina school of nursing.