C-Force: Downturn in Teen Vaping Good News, But Health Risks Remain

In what is considered a win for public health officials, the recently released 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey reports that a half-million fewer school-age kids vaped -- a practice that Oxford Dictionaries defines as "inhaling and exhaling vapor containing nicotine and flavoring produced by a device designed for this purpose" -- this past year than the year before. That only leaves 1.63 million school-age kids still vaping. But it feels like this is a number that could be a lot larger than the finding reveals. According to a USA Today report, "among teens who vape, 42% of high school users and 27% of middle school users said they vaped frequently or daily." While public health officials hope this downturn may lead to a sustained reversal in vaping trends among adolescents, as of now, it remains to be seen.

As Yolonda C. Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, explains to USA Today, U.S. youth vaping "remains a serious public health problem," as the industry "remains relentless in finding new ways to addict kids."

As reported by The New York Times' Christina Jewett, National Youth Tobacco Survey data is generated by a "questionnaire filled out by thousands of middle and high school students that is administered each year by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... Some experts tempered the encouraging news with the stubbornly higher level of e-cigarette use among young adults." Another survey, Monitoring the Future, which is conducted by the University of Michigan and the National Institutes of Health, "found high levels of vaping nicotine products among young adults ages 19 to 26," Jewett adds.

She continues: "The latest youth tobacco survey tracked an emergence of youth use of nicotine pouches," which are tucked between users' lips and gums and later discarded. They are often undetectable. According to NBC News, in one survey, "1.8% of youth reported nicotine pouch use in 2024, similar to the 1.5% who reported use in 2023. That comes out to about half a million people. Of those, 22.4% reported daily use."

Meanwhile, public health groups continue to warn about the potential effects of these products on young people. These include exposure to toxins, carcinogens and some substances the effects of which are still unknown. "A dozen countries in the European Union have pushed for a ban on flavored vapes and a limit on nicotine levels," Jewett reports. "Congress has pressured the F.D.A. in recent years to step up enforcement, especially against illicit imports of e-cigarettes in flavors like Banana Taffy Freeze and Peach Blue Slushy."

"Richardson urged the FDA and other federal agencies to increase enforcement to clear away vaping devices that remain on the market without authorization," USA Today reports. "The FDA has authorized the marketing of fewer than three dozen e-cigarette products, but thousands of unauthorized products remain on the market."

I believe there has got to be a special place in hell for those who profit by and feed upon the vulnerabilities of children in a delicate time in their development. They're just kids on the cusp of adulthood, and in the process of self-discovery, with hormones firing off, at a time when they are so susceptible to peer pressure, they are being exploited.

As a Verywell Health report by Amy Morin reminds us, "tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and nearly all nicotine addictions start in young adults. By their senior year of high school, more than two-thirds of kids have tried or are regularly using tobacco products."

Morin writes that "teenagers today are exposed to more risks than ever before." As a result, they may not be making smart choices when it comes to their health and safety. These bad choices are painfully revealed in recent statistics.

According to Morin's report, "motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of teen deaths in the United States. The (CDC) estimates that every day seven teens between the ages of 16 and 19 die from motor vehicle injuries and even more are treated in emergency rooms for serious injuries. ... Teens 16-19 have a greater risk of death or injury in a car crash than any other age group. ... Teens are less able to recognize dangerous situations and have less-developed driving reflexes than more experienced drivers." In addition, they "are more likely to speed and to drive too close to the car in front of them. ... Fewer than 60% of high school students wear seat belts every time they get in a car."

"Recreational drug use is a serious health risk for teens," Morin writes, adding that "roughly half of all high school students report having tried cannabis, 14% have taken prescription medication inappropriately, and 15% have tried 'illicit or injection drugs," such as "cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, hallucinogens, or ecstasy."

"Opioids present the largest drug-related health risk for teens," Morin writes, "with more than 4,000 young adults ages 15-25 overdosing and dying each year. A highly addictive group of drugs, opioids include both prescription pain medications and street drugs.

"As children grow more independent and form new friendships, it becomes more difficult to monitor their behavior than when they were younger. At the same time, teens need guidance navigating peer pressure and making smart choices, so it is essential to keep the lines of communication open. ... At the end of the day, the most important thing is for teens to know they are loved and that they always have someone to come to with their problems."

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