E-Cigarette Use on the Rise among Youth

Federal data released last month stated that e-cigarette use “among middle and high school students tripled from 2013 to 2014, while use of regular tobacco decreased” (Wilkerson, 2015).

In 2014, approximately 1/4 of all high school students and 8 percent of all middle school students used tobacco in some form. However, the report found that tobacco smoking among high school students decreased from 16 percent in 2011 to 9 percent in 2014, “suggesting that some teen smokers may be using e-cigs to quit” (Wilkerson, 2015).

Many experts voice concerns that the growing use of e-cigarettes among youth could lead to a normalization of smoking and a resurgence in tobacco use, not to mention the fact that the long-term effects of e-cigarettes are unknown.

E-cigarettes are illegal for youth in most states, but they are easy for teens to obtain online and even through some vape shops. The FDA has proposed a national ban on e-cigarettes for minors.

References

Wilkerson, M. (2015). E-cig use has sharply increased among young people. Retrieved from http://www.thefix.com/content/e-cig-use-has-sharply-increased-among-young-people

NIDA Changes Marijuana Policy for Researchers

Device Invented by Graduate Students Detects Stoned Drivers