Teen Vaping Lowest in Decade, Nicotine Pouches Concern

A new government survey reveals that e-cigarette use among young people has fallen to its lowest level in ten years. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the latest data shows that the rate among adolescents dropped to under 6% this year, down from 7.7% in 2023.

Mae Cota, who started smoking at 17 but managed to quit shortly after, shares her experience: “A friend offered me, ‘hey do you want to try out vaping,’ and I was like I mean sure why not, I mean I’m older now I can try that stuff right? And then, it kind of just fell downhill from there and culminated in December of me being caught with my vape by my parents and my grandparents, and they weren’t very happy about that, so.”

The CDC data indicates a decreasing number of high school students using Elf Bar and other fruity, unauthorized e-cigarettes. Tiffany Thigpen, a Health Educator Specialist at the Pitt County Health Department, warns about the short and long-term effects of tobacco use: “There is not an organ in your body that is not affected by nicotine use or exposure to nicotine. It can increase your blood pressure, it can increase your heart rate, it can cause respiratory illnesses.”

Notably, the CDC observed that the decline in vaping did not correspond with an increase in the use of other tobacco industry products, such as nicotine pouches.

Cota offers advice to other teenagers: “Quit while you’re ahead. Don’t ever start it. It’s not worth it. It will ruin you financially. It will ruin you emotionally and it might even ruin you socially with like your parents and stuff.”

Thigpen recommends that teens seeking help to quit smoking consult their doctor, who can prescribe a nicotine patch covered by most health insurance agencies.

Nicotine Pouches Emerge as a New Concern

While the national survey covering the first six months of 2024 shows a 25% decrease in student use of vaping and e-cigarette devices, with only about 6% of the 1.6 million school-aged children surveyed currently vaping, a new concern arises in the form of smokeless nicotine pouches. These pouches, which are easier to conceal and come in appealing flavors, are increasingly attracting kids.

Indian River School District Superintendent Jay Owens acknowledges the trend, attributing the district’s participation in a lawsuit against e-cigarette manufacturer Juul as a contributing factor to the decrease in e-cigarette usage. The settlement funds have been used to install vape detectors in schools and launch anti-vaping equipment and public awareness campaigns.

However, Pep Lewis, the district’s student services administrator, notes that the anti-vaping trend is just beginning locally, and a noticeable decline has not yet been observed early in the school year. The district remains committed to tobacco-use prevention efforts.

Juul Labs has agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle more than 5,000 lawsuits filed by school districts, local governments, and individuals who claimed that its e-cigarettes were more addictive than advertised. The company has denied targeting minors and admitted no responsibility in the settlement.

Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of the Office on Smoking & Health at the CDC, expresses concern about any youth-appealing tobacco product, stating, “While it’s encouraging to see these numbers currently remaining relatively low, the bottom line is that we are concerned about any youth-appealing tobacco product. Our guard is up. We are aware of the reported growing sales trends for nicotine pouches and are closely monitoring the evolving tobacco product landscape for threats to public health, particularly when it comes to kids.”

Vape-Free Delaware, a non-profit dedicated to controlling vaping, offers resources for educators to discuss the dangers of vaping inhalations with students. Their website provides a national youth vaping prevention curriculum called “Know the Truth,” which offers students a free four-part digital learning experience to help them understand the history, myths, risks, and dangers of e-cigarettes and vaping, as well as focusing on positive alternative behaviors and living a vape-free life.

News source：
CDC: New survey finds teen vaping lowest in ten years
Smokeless pouches offer a new concern
Results from the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey

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Matthew Ma

Marketing at Ecigator

With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.