Be Alert: Youth Use of Vaping Devices Is Gradually Increasing
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, made the following statement regarding the youth risk behavior survey released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
The findings confirm that the number of adolescents using e-cigarettes continues to rise, surpassing levels seen in recent years. More than half (50.1%) of high school students have tried e-cigarettes, and nearly one-third (32.7%) of high school students report currently using these products, making the need for strong regulatory measures from the FDA more urgent than ever.
She continued, “While some states and communities are taking action to prevent e-cigarette companies from addicting the next generation of kids, these findings should serve as a wake-up call for governments at all levels to do more. The FDA should ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products and close loopholes in existing policies that allow flavored disposable e-cigarettes and flavored e-liquid for reusable nicotine systems to continue being sold on the market.”
She added, “The tobacco industry bears direct responsibility for the epidemic of youth e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction. If we are to achieve the ultimate goal of tobacco control, the FDA must act swiftly to implement and enforce comprehensive tobacco control policies.”
