It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
A UBC Okanagan researcher says Canada is falling behind in developing intervention programs to stop young people from beginning to vape.
Dr. Laura Struik, an Assistant Professor with UBCO’s School of Nursing and a Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar, researches nicotine dependence, cancer prevention and behaviour change using digital technologies.
Dr. Struik is disheartened by the results from the recent Health Canada’s Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, which states that 29 per cent of Canadian students from Grades 7 to 12 have tried an e-cigarette, and 17 per cent have vaped in the past month, revealing that the number of Canadian teens using e-cigarettes are among highest in the world.
Dr. Struik says, “Youth and young adults are disproportionately at risk for the harmful effects of vaping because exposure at this age alters natural brain development and impacts lung health early on. As a result, there has been a long-standing urgency to intervene over the last few years, and we wanted to know what has been done across our nation.”
She led a recent study published last month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that examined campaigns directed at young people to prevent vaping uptake. For this study, a team of young trainees in Dr. Struik’s lab examined government-funded vaping prevention campaigns in Canada and the United States.
A key aspect of public health measures is to develop prevention campaigns to motivate people to make lifestyle choices that benefit themselves or society. The researchers analyzed 46 different campaigns to determine what kind of messaging was being used to influence the behavioural decisions of young people.
They found that many spoke about the potentially harmful effects of vaping on the lungs. Struik says there is room to incorporate more meaningful and comprehensive approaches in prevention efforts.
“We know from previous research that vaping uptake is influenced by various intersecting factors, including, but not limited to, mental health, self-efficacy, social norms, environmental factors, knowledge and so forth,” she says. “So, relying almost solely on telling teens about the potential physical health harms of vaping as a reason to not vape is likely going to fall flat, and recent youth-driven evidence confirms this.”
In her latest study, published this month in Addictive Behaviors Reports, Dr. Struik found that Canadian youth who vaped reported a variety of factors that supported their decision to take up vaping, including the belief that vaping was cool, and helped them cope with stress, the normalization of vaping among their peers, the lack of school policies to address vaping, and the fact that there is vague information on the harms of vaping (e.g., “could be harmful”).
She also notes that Canada lacks intervention campaigns compared to the United States. Of the 46 unique vaping prevention campaigns in her study, only two were identified in Canada—one at the federal level and one at the provincial level.
“In the end, the evidence reveals that Canada needs to step it up when it comes to vaping prevention programs aimed at our youth,” Dr. Struik adds. “And these prevention programs must be informed and driven by Canadian youth themselves to truly tackle this issue.”
DALLAS, Aug. 23, 2021 — Aerosol generated from vaping devices likely impairs blood vessels’ ability to function comparable to traditional cigarette smoke, according to preliminary research in rats presented at the American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions 2021. The meeting is virtual, Aug. 23-25, and offers the latest research on basic and translational cardiovascular science.
Vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, is often promoted as a less harmful alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes contain a cartridge with a liquid containing nicotine that generates an aerosol that is inhaled, like smoking a cigarette. Despite the popularity of these devices, knowledge is still limited about the impact of the aerosols from e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and newer, coil-less, ultrasonic vaping devices on cardiovascular function.
“When you inhale a suspension of particles or a mist, whether it is from tobacco or marijuana, whether it’s smoke or aerosol, it all has the same effect,” said Matthew L. Springer, Ph.D., senior author of the study and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. “Our research reinforces the previous findings that vaping is not without harm, and it underscores the importance of counseling patients about the risks of vaping because it does affect cardiovascular function.”
Researchers investigated the impact of aerosols generated from a range of vaping devices on the function of the endothelium, which is a thin membrane lining the inside of the heart and blood vessels. The endothelium is a layer of endothelial cells that produce substances that help control blood clotting, blood pressure levels and immune function and help keep blood vessels healthy. Reduced endothelial function usually precedes the development of atherosclerosis, the build-up of fatty material on arteries, and it is often a predictor of a stroke or heart attack.
In this study, a process known as flow-mediated dilation (FMD), an indicator of endothelial function and overall blood vessel health, was measured by ultrasound. FMD was measured in the rats before and after exposure to the aerosols from each of these:
propylene glycol (PG),
vegetable glycerin (VG),
propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PGVG),
5% nicotine salt pods of three different flavors (Virginia tobacco, mango and menthol),
an e-cigarette with free-base nicotine (a previous-generation vaping product),
a “heat-not-burn” tobacco product, and
a coil-less ultrasonic vaping device.
Combustible cigarette smoke and clean air were the controls for the study. The researchers sought to determine if aerosols from the different vaping products – regardless of flavor, nicotine amount or method of delivery – diminished blood vessel function. They performed a head-to-head comparison on 11 groups of rats with eight rats in each group, exposing the rats to the nine vaping products, as well as the controls of combustible cigarettes and clean air. The rats were exposed to the products during one session consisting of 10 cycles of 5-second inhalation every 30 seconds over a five-minute period. To measure FMD, the femoral artery, a large artery in the thigh, was measured with a micro-ultrasound.
The study found:
After only one five-minute session of exposure, endothelial function in the rats was acutely impaired by aerosols from all vaping products. Vessel dilation fell between 40% and 67% for all groups except the rats exposed to the clean air.
This blood vessel impairment in vaping products was comparable to the impairment caused by traditional cigarettes (67%).
The researchers also collected blood from the rats to measure nicotine concentration. They found that the blood-nicotine concentration was 8.7 times higher in the rats exposed to the heated tobacco product (average of 61.4 ng/ml) than in the rats exposed to the ultrasonic vaping device (average of 7.0 ng/ml) and 7.3 times higher than the previous generation of e-cigarette (average of 8.4 ng/ml).
“We were not surprised when we saw the results for the heated tobacco products and previous generation e-cigarettes, however, we were somewhat surprised to discover that the new ultrasonic vaping device also impaired flow-mediated dilation,” said study lead author Poonam Rao, M.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco. “This new ultrasonic device has no heating coil, so theoretically it should be safer than e-cigarettes. Yet even without the intense heating of the nicotine substance, this aerosol impaired vascular function like all of the other products.”
While these results are from an animal experiment, they are applicable to humans. “The approach we used to study vascular function in the rats closely resembles what happens in humans. This is a rodent-equivalent of a common clinical measure in humans in the brachial artery, the major blood vessel of the (upper) arm,” Springer said. “It is known that e-cigarettes can impair vascular function in humans. If any mist or aerosol that rats inhale has this adverse effect, it will likely happen in humans, too.”
Co-authors are Kelly Tan; Daniel D. W. Han, B.A.; and Ronak Derakhshandeh, M.Sc. Author disclosures are in the abstract. The study was funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Elfenworks Foundation.
Follow AHA/ASA news from the meeting on Twitter @HeartNews, #BCVS21
Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.
The American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions (BCVS) is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the latest advances in basic and translational cardiovascular science. The virtual meeting is Monday-Wednesday, Aug. 23-25, 2021. The primary goal of the meeting is to convene scientists from around the world with the common goal to discover pathways to cardiovascular therapeutics and promoting cardiovascular health. Sessions are focused on new therapies and insights in cardiovascular disease, as well as research in fields like microRNAs, cardiac gene and cell therapy, cardiac development, as well as tissue engineering and iPS cells. The BCVS 2021 Scientific Sessions program, planned by the American Heart Association’s Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences, is of special interest to basic cardiovascular scientists, molecular/ cellular biologists, physiologists, translational investigators, clinical trialists, practicing cardiologists, cardiovascular nurses and pharmacists. Follow the conference on Twitter at #BCVS21.
About the American Heart Association
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Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Ban on disposable vapes would affect one in seven young adults in Great Britain
A ban on disposable vapes, currently being considered by the UK Government, would affect one in seven young adults (aged 18-24) in Great Britain, and one in 20 adults overall, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.
A ban on disposable vapes, currently being considered by the UK Government, would affect one in seven young adults (aged 18-24) in Great Britain, and one in 20 adults overall, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.
The study, funded by Cancer Research UK and published in the journal Public Health, looked at survey responses from 69,973 adults in England, Wales and Scotland between January 2021 and August 2023.
The researchers found the proportion of adults using disposable e-cigarettes rose from 0.1% to 4.9% during that period. The increase was particularly pronounced among 18- to 24-year-olds, with 14.4% using disposable vapes in 2023, as well as among smokers (16.3%) and people who had stopped smoking in the past year (18.2%).
Use among people who had never regularly smoked was relatively rare (1.5%) but was higher among 18- to 24-year-olds, of whom 7.1% used disposable e-cigarettes and had never regularly smoked tobacco.
Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care), said: “Our study suggests a ban on disposable e-cigarettes would affect an estimated 2.6 million people in England, Wales and Scotland.
“This group includes about 316,000 18- to 24-year-olds who currently use disposables but who have never regularly smoked tobacco. However, it also includes 1.2 million people who currently smoke and would benefit from switching to e-cigarettes completely, and a further 744,000 who previously smoked and may be at risk of relapse.
“While banning disposables might seem like a straightforward solution to reduce youth vaping, it could have substantial unintended consequences for people who smoke.
“In the event of a ban, it would be important to encourage current and ex-smokers who use disposables to switch to other types of e-cigarettes rather than going back to just smoking tobacco.
“In addition, we found disposable use to be particularly prevalent among recent ex-smokers with a history of mental health conditions. This group may require targeted support to help them avoid relapse.”
The research team used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, in which a different sample of 2,450 adults in Great Britain (who are representative of the general population) are interviewed each month.
They found disposable e-cigarette use was significantly higher among adults living in England than Wales or Scotland (5.3% vs. 2.0% and 2.8% at the end of the study period) and among those from less (vs. more) advantaged social grades (6.1% vs. 4.0%), those with (vs. without) children (6.4% vs. 4.4%), and those with (vs. without) a history of mental health conditions (9.3% vs. 3.1%).
Until recently, the researchers noted, very few adult vapers in Great Britain used disposables, but in 2021 new disposable e-cigarettes entered the market with designs and branding that appealed to young people, causing use of disposables to quickly rise in the UK and elsewhere. These products are available widely, for instance in corner shops, and are promoted via colourful in-store displays.
While they are convenient to use, with a very low upfront cost, they have also become an environmental problem, with millions of the devices reportedly thrown away in the UK each week.
Senior author Professor Jamie Brown (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care), said: “There is a need for action to reduce disposable vaping among young people who have never smoked. However, trade-offs need to be carefully considered. A ban may discourage use of e-cigarettes among people trying to quit smoking and may induce relapse among those who have already used disposables to quit. Cigarettes are far more harmful to our health and are not currently banned and a ban on disposable e-cigarettes may signal to large numbers of people that these products are worse for our health or that their harm is comparable to that caused by smoking tobacco. I favour a range of alternative policies, in the first instance, allied with rapid evaluation to judge whether these are sufficient to achieve reductions in youth vaping.”
In the paper, the researchers outlined other measures to strengthen the regulation of disposable vapes that had a reduced risk of unintended consequences, such as causing relapse among ex-smokers.
These included prohibiting branding with appeal to children (e.g., bright colours, sweet names, and cartoon characters), prohibiting promotion of e-cigarettes in shops, putting e-cigarettes out of sight and reach of children, and putting an excise tax on disposables to raise the price to the same level as the cheapest reusable e-cigarettes. Defining disposables may prove problematic so a minimum unit price may be more a straightforward alternative to reduce their affordability and is something that could be implemented quickly.
The researchers noted that their data might under-estimate prevalence of disposable vape use. This is because survey respondents were asked which type of e-cigarette they mainly used, so people who used disposables as a secondary product were not captured.
In addition to Cancer Research UK, the study received support from the UK Prevention Research Partnership.
Who would be affected by a ban on disposable vapes? A population study in Great Britain
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
24-Jan-2024
Avoiding cloudy messaging: Vape prevention campaigns face challenges
Flinders University researchers say that cohesive and collaborative action from preventive health communicators and organisations is needed to inform young people about the devastating harms of vaping.
VAPING PREVENTION HEALTH COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN EXAMPLE MATERIALS: (A) NSW HEALTH CAMPAIGN MEDIA AND TOOLKIT, ADAPTED, BASTION AGENCY; (B) LUNG FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA CAMPAIGN, ADAPTED, SABIO AGENCY AND (C) US FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION CAMPAIGN, ADAPTED, FDA RESOURCE LIBRARY.
CREDIT: HEALTH PROMOTION INTERNATIONAL -HTTPS://ACADEMIC.OUP.COM/HEAPRO
Flinders University researchers say that cohesive and collaborative action from preventive health communicators and organisations is needed to inform young people about the devastating harms of vaping.
“Despite awareness of the potential harms, recreational vaping is increasing among younger people with our South Australian participants seeing vaping as ‘cleaner’ and less harmful than cigarettes,” says Flinders University’s Dr Joshua Trigg.
“We know that nicotine vapes are highly addictive and expose people to harmful chemicals, respiratory irritants, and toxic substances. In order to discourage young people from picking up a vape, we need to understand what messaging they will best respond to,” says Dr Trigg.
Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are lithium battery-powered devices that heat liquids containing solvents, nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals, volatile compounds, and ultrafine particles into an aerosol that are inhaled into the lungs.
Flinders University researchers investigated the impact of different vaping prevention public health media campaigns among young South Australians aged 16–26 years to help determine what will work best in vaping risk messaging.
Participants of the study were shown example materials from three vaping prevention campaigns and resource sets: ‘The Real Cost, ‘Do you know what you’re vaping’ and ‘Unveil what you inhale’ to assess whether they were easily understood, appropriate, relevant, credible and effective.
“We know that health communication campaigns are an established tool for emphasising the dangers associated with vaping. By studying the impact of these campaigns more closely, we can improve future messaging to reduce and deter the use of vapes by young people,” he says.
Those who do vape and those who don’t, reacted in different ways to the campaigns. Those who didn’t already vape responded better to explicit messaging and shock tactics about the health risks associated with vaping. Whereas those who already vaped responded better to information challenging the notion that vapes are healthier than smoking cigarettes.
“We found that young people are likely to engage more with campaigns that consider the real life experiences, social contexts, and negative consequences associated with vaping. These experiences drew more interest and were more thought provoking to young South Australians,” Dr Trigg says.
“Bright visual design elements that represented health and wellbeing drew the attention of both groups of young people, with participants reiterating the benefits of using online and media resources to deliver preventative media campaigns. Campaigns now tend to adopt a ‘mobile first’ design approach, to target their audiences where they consume media” he says.
“In future, it is important that vaping prevention messaging considers those who already vape and those who do not, and clearly address the potential dangers and side-effects of inhaling a combination of chemicals. Young people need to understand that nicotine vaping is not a risk-free alternative to smoking cigarettes,” he adds.
The research – “Vaping harms awareness messaging: exploring young South Australians’ responses to vaping prevention campaign materials”, by Joshua Trigg, Ola Ela, Jacqueline Bowden, Ashlea Bartram, Clinton Cenko, and Billie Bonevski – has been published in the journal Health Promotional International. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daad145
According to a new analysis, almost a quarter of Australians with disabilities smoke when compared to just 12.6% of the wider population.
While the number of Australians smoking is declining, the barriers for people with disabilities mean targeted support is needed to develop healthier habits.
Flinders University and Cancer Council NSW health experts are recommending new strategies to tackle the alarming smoking rate through targeted government policies, data collection on smoking and training for disability support workers on tobacco prevention strategies.
The experts have assessed strategies that can address increased risk factors that result in higher rates of smoking among people with disabilities. These include socioeconomic challenges that make nicotine replacements unaffordable such as higher unemployment and living on income support.
Physical restrictions and a shortage of trained professionals to support their efforts to quit make the challenge even harder, according to the researchers.
Cancer Council NSW Tobacco Cessation Coordinator and lead author of the paper, Tiana Vourliotis, said a comprehensive approach including smoking cessation services, co-designed programs, and targeted policy initiatives is imperative to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use.
Published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, the researchers recommend innovative prevention strategies that can close the disparity in smoking rates, including:
Offering support to stop smoking within disability services
Training for healthcare providers and support workers on effective strategies
Consistent policy across Australian states
Further collection of smoking data
Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute Director and study co-author, Professor Billie Bonevski, says the decrease in the numbers of people who smoke in Australia is not consistent across the whole of society and there remains a significantly higher smoking prevalence among people experiencing social, economic, or cultural disadvantage.
“People with disabilities encounter various obstacles, including lower socioeconomic status, unemployment, and difficulties accessing affordable quit-smoking support. Physical barriers and a shortage of trained professionals make the challenge even greater, hindering their ability to quit smoking,” says Professor Bonevski.
“Despite these big challenges, we know that informed policymaking and a dedication to positive health outcomes can drive meaningful reductions in smoking rates for people with disabilities.”
The federal government last year introduced new laws aimed at curbing smoking and addiction to tobacco in Australia using health warnings on packaging.
But this research has recognised the importance of providing choice for people with disabilities with the aim of fostering supportive environments for quitting, particularly in health and residential settings where they reside.
“Our commitment to addressing high smoking rates among people with disabilities in Australia can set a precedent for global efforts when it comes to developing targeted strategies and paving the way for a healthier future for the entire population.”
JOURNAL
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
High tobacco smoking rates in people with disability: An unaddressed public health issue
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
1-Feb-2024
Saturday, December 21, 2019
New studies show vaping illnesses tapering off
by E.j. Mundell, Healthday Reporter DECEMBER 21, 2019
(HealthDay)—Even as the number of Americans hospitalized with a lung injury tied to vaping passed the 2,500 mark this week, new research confirms case counts are finally declining and vitamin E acetate remains the most likely culprit in the outbreak. "The outbreak is getting better," Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a Friday media briefing. "While we continue to receive reports of newly diagnosed patients … the level of new cases is greatly reduced."
The latest statistics come in four reports from CDC researchers, published Friday in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
In one of the NEJM reports, vitamin E acetate was present in the lungs of 48 of 51 patients who were hospitalized with the vaping illness in 16 states.
"We are confident that vitamin E acetate is strongly linked to the [vaping illnesses] outbreak," Schuchat said. "Given all of these findings, including today's study, we can conclude that what I call the explosive outbreak of cases of [vaping illness] can be attributed to exposure to THC-containing vaping products that also contain vitamin E acetate."
But she added a caveat.
"I want to stress this does not mean there are not other substances in e-cigarette or vaping products that are capable of causing lung injury," she said.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,506 lung injury cases have been reported in all 50 states as of Dec. 19, the CDC said in a statement issued Thursday. Fifty-four of the patients have died.
In most cases, patients had previously used a vape product that included THC, the chemical in marijuana that provides a high.
For that reason, the "CDC and FDA recommend that people should not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products, particularly from informal sources like friends, family, or in-person or online sellers," the CDC said.
No one brand has been singled out as the main culprit—in fact, "overall, 152 different THC-containing product brands were reported" as being used by patients prior to their illness, the agency noted.
Still, certain brands seem especially tied to the outbreak.
"Dank Vapes, a class of largely counterfeit THC-containing products of unknown origin, was the most commonly reported product brand used by patients nationwide," the CDC said, although this brand was most implicated in cases arising in the Northeast and South.
"TKO and Smart Cart brands were more commonly reported by patients in the West, and Rove was more common in the Midwest," the CDC said.
The illnesses that are affecting vapers can be sudden and severe. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath and chest pains. Some patients have had so much trouble breathing that they wind up on oxygen, and in extreme cases are placed on a mechanical ventilator.
Evidence continues to build that vitamin E acetate, present in many "black market" vape products, especially those containing marijuana-derived THC, could be to blame.
Testing done on other common vape ingredients—things such as plant oils, petroleum distillates like mineral oil, MCT oil, and terpenes—have shown no role in the illness outbreak.
New forms of vaping-related illness are also emerging. On Nov. 25, doctors reported the first known case of a serious case of what's known as "popcorn" lung, observed in a Canadian teen. The illness involves inflammation and obstruction of the small airways in the lungs.
And a report emerged recently describing the case of a 49-year-old California woman who vaped marijuana and then came down with hard-metal pneumoconiosis or "cobalt lung." That's a form of pneumonia that's normally associated with exposure to hard metals in industrial settings.
The number of vaping-related lung illness deaths reported by federal health authorities rose again this week to 56, up four from last week's total. The deaths occurred in 27 states.
The number of vaping-related lung illness deaths reported by federal health authorities rose again this week to 56 up four from last week's total. The deaths occurred in 27 states.
Big drop in US teen vaping seen with COVID school closures
FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2020 file photo a woman holds a Puff Bar flavored disposable vape device in New York. Government researchers reported a big drop in teen vaping this year as many U.S. students were forced to learn from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. health officials urged caution in interpreting the numbers Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, which were collected using an online questionnaire for the first time.
(AP Photo/Marshall Ritzel)
By MATTHEW PERRONE September 30, 2021
WASHINGTON (AP) — Teen vaping plummeted this year as many U.S. students were forced to learn from home during the pandemic, according to a government report released Thursday.
U.S. health officials urged caution in interpreting the numbers, which were collected using an online questionnaire for the first time. But outside experts said the big decrease in electronic cigarettes use is likely real and makes sense given that young people often vape socially.
“They found a dramatic drop from last year and it’s hard to imagine that doesn’t represent a real decrease in use among high school and middle school students,” said Dr. Nancy Rigotti of Harvard University, who was not involved in the research.
In the national survey, 11% of high school students and less than 3% of middle school students said they were recent users of e-cigarettes and other vaping products, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
That’s a roughly 40% drop from last year, when nearly 20% of high school students and 5% of middle schoolers said they’d recently vaped.
If this year’s numbers hold up, it would be the second big drop in a row, from a peak of 28% for high schoolers in 2019.
Even before the pandemic, a number of new restrictions were curtailing underage use of e-cigarettes. In late 2019, a new federal law raised the purchase age for all tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21. Shortly afterward, the FDA banned nearly all flavors from small, cartridge-based e-cigarettes, which first sparked the teen vaping craze.
Also, some kids may have been scared off by an outbreak of vaping-related illnesses and deaths; most were tied to a filler in black market vaping liquids that contained THC, the chemical in marijuana that makes users feel high.
For months, tobacco experts have speculated about the potential effect of school closures on vaping, given most teens vape with their friends and get e-cigarettes from their peers.
Rigotti said the decline will have to be confirmed by other surveys due out later this year. It’s also hard to predict whether vaping could rebound now that most schools have returned to in-person classes.
“I’m sure schools are working hard to ensure that doesn’t happen,” she said.
Previously, the survey was always conducted in classrooms. This year’s was done online from January through May to accommodate students both at home and in school. Anti-tobacco advocates point out that students who completed the survey in school reported higher rates of vaping — 16% compared to 8% for students learning at home.
Overall, government officials estimate about 2 million U.S. teens and adolescents are vaping, a number they say is far too high. “E-cigarette use among youth remains a serious public health concern,” said CDC specialist Dr. Karen Hacker, in a statement.
Thursday’s report comes as the FDA is poised to potentially place even bigger limits on the vaping industry. The agency is in the midst of a sweeping federal review to decide which e-cigarette brands and products can stay on the market, after years of regulatory delays.
Earlier this month, the agency announced a ban on thousands of products, but it has not yet ruled on a handful of major manufacturers that account for most sales, including Juul and Vuse.
The new government numbers show teen vaping habits are shifting away from those brands. The top brand cited by high schools students is a disposable e-cigarette called Puff Bar that comes in flavors like pink lemonade, strawberry and mango. Disposable e-cigarettes are not subject to the tight flavor restrictions of products like Juul, which is only available in menthol and tobacco. Only 6% of students who vape said they prefer Juul.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Monday, January 29, 2024
Millions knocked off value of disposable vaping firms ahead of ban
Henry Saker-Clark,
PA Deputy Business Editor Mon, 29 January 2024
Shares in vaping firms tumbled on Monday morning as disposable vapes are set to be banned in Britain.
Later on Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce the plan to implement the ban, which is aimed at tackling the rise in young people vaping and protecting children’s health, during a visit to a school.
Chill Brands saw shares slide by as much as 35% in early trading as a result, while rival business Supreme saw shares drop around 12%. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce the plan to implement the ban during a visit to a school later on Monday (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Chill’s market value had fallen by over £3 million, with over £10 million knocked off Supreme’s valuation during the morning trading session.
The announcement forms part of the Government’s response to its consultation on smoking and vaping, which was launched in October last year.
The ban is expected to come into force at the end of 2024 or the start of 2025.
On Monday, Chill Brands, which makes nicotine-free vapes as well as CBD products, stressed that it is “committed to strict compliance with all relevant laws”.
Callum Sommerton, chief executive officer of Chill, said it will continue to sell its products across UK and US retailers but they are prepared to adjust to rule changes.
He said: “The vaping landscape is constantly evolving, creating opportunities for businesses that are able to navigate the regulatory environment. The announcement forms part of the Government’s response to its consultation on smoking and vaping (Nicholas Ansell/PA)
“The Chill brand has gained rapid traction with the support of major retailers, and I am confident that it will continue to do so as we move forward with our plans to launch reusable pod system vapes.
“Chill Brands Group is an agile company, and we are prepared to adjust to any legislation that may be enacted.”
Rival Supreme, which has brands including 88Vape, also saw its shares knocked by the announcement.
The company, which has yet to comment on the latest announcement, said in October that it was “fully supportive of any further legislation in the sector”.
Vaping retailer VPZ, which runs more than 160 stores across the UK, indicated it was supportive of the ban.
VPZ director Doug Mutter said: “For the past two years we have called on the UK Government to introduce licencing and controls for selling vaping products.
“We believe that this would provide a strong and robust solution to tackling access and the impact of disposables on youth uptake and the environment.
“From this perspective we welcome and fully support news that the UK Government plans to introduce a ban on disposable vaping products.
“However it’s hugely important that it operates alongside a licencing scheme where there are proper punishments and policing in place to enforce the ban, tackle the existing black market and ensure that it doesn’t continue to grow.”
More than £1 billion to be wiped from vaping industry after disposables ban
Simon Hunt Mon, 29 January 2024 The consultation on single-use vapes is due to open next year (John Stilwell/PA) (PA Archive)
More than £1 billion is set to be wiped from the UK e-cigarette industry after the Prime Minister announced an outright ban on disposable vapes.
The ban, which is aimed at slashing the uptake of vaping among teenagers, is expected to be enacted later this year with retailers given a six-month implementation period.
The disposable vape category is worth as much as £1.2 billion in the UK annually, according to figures by ECigIntelligence, with disposables representing more than 4 in 5 vapes sold.
The ban poses a major threat to the UK’s vape retailers, which have occupied a growing share of the British high street. There are now more than 3,500 specialist vape shops in the UK, according to figures from the Local Data Company – which exclude other e-cigarette stockists such as supermarkets and newsagents.
The announcement came as a blow to vape supplier Chill Brands, with its shares tumbling as much as 40% after markets opened today as it vowed to “adjust” its operations to accommodate for the change.
Nearly 70% of parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and the general public are supportive of the measure, according to a government consultation, with studies suggesting as much as 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds are now using vapes and the proportion of 11 to 17-year-old vapers using disposables increasing almost ninefold in the last two years. A huge rise in the amount of e-wage resulting from vape disposal is also cited as a concern.
PM Rishi Sunak said: “As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it becomes endemic.
“The long-term impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit, marketing vapes to children is not acceptable.”
The move is the latest sign in a wider global crackdown on e-cigarettes, with China and several US states having banned the sale of flavoured vapes domestically – amid evidence fruit flavours are most popular with children and teenagers.
But some in the industry have warned of unintended consequences of a disposables ban.
Muntazir Dipoti, the National President of the Federation of the Independent Retailers, said: “While we agree that action is needed to prevent children and young people being attracted to vaping, we do not believe that banning disposable vapes is the way to go about it.
“An outright ban will simply send youngsters towards unorthodox and illicit sources where there is no compliance to tobacco and vaping laws, while the products they peddle are likely to contain dangerous and illegal levels of toxic chemicals.
“Disposable vapes are usually more affordable and, as such, are a bigger incentive for adult smokers to change to vapes.”
