Sharp Increase in Youth Vaping in King County, Washington

[Seattle Times] A new set of data from the King County health officials indicates that while the number of youth smoking and drinking has declined, the use of e-cigarettes among youth in King County has sharply increased over the past decade, with marijuana use remaining relatively unchanged.

The Seattle and King County Public Health Department conducts a Youth Health Survey every two years among students in grades 6 to 12 in public schools. In October 2014, over 13,000 youth from King County participated in the survey. According to the data, about 22% of high school seniors in 2014 reported using e-cigarettes in the past month, an increase of 3% from 2012. More than 14% of 10th graders reported using e-cigarettes in the past year, up 2% from 2012.

The rise in e-cigarette use may be attributed to the perception that inhaling nicotine vapor is safer than smoking traditional cigarettes.