CDC: Teen Vaping Numbers Climbing

(KNSI) — Public health officials say they are concerned with the latest report regarding teen vaping.

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey from the Centers for Disease Control, teen vaping numbers are rising to pre-pandemic levels. In 2020, 23.6% of high schoolers and 6.7% of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use. In 2021, that number went down to 13.4% of high school students and 4% of middle school students. The numbers from 2021 may have seemed promising, but officials say the number likely declined because students were not attending school in person. With students returning to school in person full-time in 2022, 14.1% of high school students and 3.3% of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use.

The study also shows that 84.9% of middle and high school students who vape reported using e-cigarettes containing fruit, candy, desserts, or mint flavors.

Jennifer Cofer with the MD Anderson Cancer Center says that’s why experts want a ban on fruity vape juice. “The industry who makes these products know that fruit flavors and other sweets are what draws kids in. Unfortunately, the kids are not aware of the levels of nicotine. Nicotine disrupts brain development. It impacts mood, and control of thoughts and actions.”

The CDC says e-cigarettes expose users to fewer harmful chemicals than traditional cigarettes but adds that the use of any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is not safe for young people. In 2018, Truth Initiative launched the “Safer ≠ Safe” campaign, focusing on correcting youth misperceptions and providing accurate information about e-cigarettes and youth. Learn more by clicking here.

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