The vaping statistics, the ones that truly matter, should not be lost in the haze of political realities.
No. 1: Backed by a series of studies over the past few years, long-term effects of vaping have yet to surface — but from all indications, it is far less risky than smoking combustible cigarettes.
No. 2: Backed by another series of studies, vaping has been proven effective as a succession tool for quitting traditional cigarettes.
No. 3: This stat is probably the most important, yet least regarded among mainstream media. As vaping has grown in popularity over the past half-decade, teen smoking has plummeted.
That’s a news topic federal agencies appear to be missing.
As teens continue to migrate toward vaping over cigarettes, some health officials can be guilty of grouping the two forms of “teen rebellion.” But they should be separated because 20 years ago, before JUUL Labs existed, 29 percent of high school students smoked cigarettes, according to NYTS.
Nearly 20 years later, about 20 percent of high schoolers experienced vaping and only eight percent smoked cigarettes.
Those are significant vaping statistics considering money.com reported five years ago vaping can be 95 percent less risky and 40 percent cheaper than cigarettes. The 2015 reporting, backed up by gov.uk, appears to stand the test of time.
Meanwhile, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) representative Brian King noted, the health “progress” of teens quitting cigarettes has been “completely reversed” as they turn to e-cigarettes.
“We were making progress,” King told The Associated Press, “and now you have the introduction of a product that is heavily popular among youth that has completely erased that progress.”
But has it?
Are the two forms of nicotine intake, vapor and combustion, a fair comparison?
They are different. And they should be studied as two independent entities.
Certainly, the ability for adult smokers to seek a smoother path to quitting should not be sidetracked by politics.
But considering what U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said, don’t count on it. The FDA remains a front-line soldier.
“As a society, we’ve made great strides in stigmatizing cigarette use among kids,” Gottlieb said. “The kids using e-cigarettes are children who rejected conventional cigarettes but don’t see the same stigma associated with the use of e-cigarettes. But now, having become exposed to nicotine through e-cigs, they will be more likely to smoke.”
With vaping under attack, it’s more important than ever to stay informed. Keep up to date by checking out our News Page!