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Even with many middle and high school students at home due to the pandemic, according to the survey, they have found ways to source and use e-cigarettes and other vaping devices.
The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey middle and high school students each year as part of the National Youth Tobacco Survey. Due to the pandemic, this year’s results cannot be compared to those of previous years.
“It is estimated that approximately 2.06 million young people are current users of electronic cigarettes in 2021. The use of tobacco products by young people in all their forms, including electronic cigarettes, is dangerous. Most electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, and exposure to nicotine during adolescence can harm the developing brain, ”the FDA and CDC said in their report, published in the CDC’s MMWR Weekly Report.
“In particular, when many students were in distance learning environments that could have affected their access to tobacco products, about 11.3% (1.72 million) of high school students and about 2.8% (320,000) of high school students said they currently use an electronic cigarette. use, ”the FDA and CDC said in a joint statement.
About 85% of students said they used flavored vapes, especially fruit, candy, mint, and menthol flavors. Anti-smoking groups have lobbied the FDA to ban all flavored vape products.
“Among high school students who currently used e-cigarettes, 26.1% said their usual brand was Puff Bar, followed by Vuse (10.8%), SMOK (9.6%), JUUL (5.7%) and Suorin (2.3%), ”the FDA and CDC said.
“This data highlights the fact that flavored e-cigarettes are still extremely popular with kids. And we’re also disturbed by the quarter of high school kids who use e-cigarettes and say they vape every day,” Mitch said. Zeller, director of the FDA’s The Center for Tobacco Products, said in the statement.
“It should be noted that the survey reveals higher rates of electronic cigarette use among high school students who responded to the survey at school compared to those who participated at home or at a school. other place (15% to 8.1%), which raises concerns that the rates are much higher. higher if the survey had been conducted entirely in schools as in previous years, “said Matthew Myers, chair of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Children, in a statement.
“As children return to school, we face the real risk of a resurgence of the e-cigarette epidemic among young people unless the FDA swiftly eliminates all flavored e-cigarettes. With 85% of young electronic cigarette users using flavorings, our children will remain in jeopardy as long as flavored products remain on the market. “
The agencies noted that Puff Bar-branded vaporizers are made from synthetic nicotine, possibly in an attempt to evade the FDA’s mandate to regulate tobacco products.
“The FDA is aware of a number of companies, such as Puff Bar, claiming that their products contain only non-tobacco synthetic nicotine, which may raise separate regulatory and legal issues that the agency plans to resolve at best, ”the agency said.
“The number one brand used by young people, Puff Bar, is not only available in a wide variety of flavors, but also recently indicated that it will now be made with synthetic nicotine in a cheeky attempt to thwart the surveillance of the FDA, “Robin Koval, CEO of the Truth Initiative, said in a statement.
CNN has reached out to Puff Bar for comment.
Data showing that over 43% of college students who use e-cigarettes do so almost daily “underscores the trap of nicotine addiction and the risk that once addicted, many young people will be consuming it and potentially even more dangerous to use it. life. added Koval, whose organization was born out of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between major tobacco companies, 46 US states and territories, and Washington, DC.
“This is particularly troubling given the youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic and the fact that nicotine can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression in addition to the physical health risks associated with its use.”
The FDA has delayed its decision on how to regulate many vape products. Electronic cigarette products have been allowed to remain on the market for years, although none have received an official FDA green light. Manufacturers had until September 9 last year to submit applications for the agency’s clearance to remain in the market.
Earlier this month, the FDA said it had rejected pre-market applications for more than 6 million electronic nicotine delivery systems or ENDS products, but made no decisions on big players such as Juul.
E-cigarettes weren’t subject to FDA regulation until 2016. They were then in regulatory limbo until July 2019, when a federal court gave companies until May 2020 to ask the FDA. a pre-market review.
The FDA is still reviewing some of these requests.
“This study once again shows the urgent need for federal action to combat the epidemic of electronic cigarettes among young people,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, in a statement.
“Flavored tobacco products of all kinds, including those flavored with menthol, allow the tobacco industry to attract and hook another generation of users to their deadly products – nothing less, a generation that was on its way to being the first tobacco-free generation, “added Lacasse.
“We have known about this danger for years and the FDA continues to delay taking definitive action – despite a court-ordered delay – on some of the biggest brands and manufacturers of these products.”
“Continuing delays by the FDA and inadequate measures to assess products with substantial market share and enforce denial-of-market orders to date leave the door open to increased reliance on nicotine-containing products, of which it is proven to interfere with brain development in children. ”
Myers praised the FDA for denying marketing applications for a million flavored e-cigarette products.
“However, the agency has yet to make a decision on which brands of electronic cigarettes have the largest market shares or are most popular with children, such as Juul, Vuse, NJOY, blu, SMOK and Suorin. “Myers said.
“And the FDA is still considering allowing the sale of any menthol flavored electronic cigarette. Today’s investigation results show why the FDA should not allow the sale of ANY flavored electronic cigarette given the overwhelming evidence. that flavored products, including menthol, attract children. “
This story has been updated to correct an error in Robin Koval’s statement from the Truth Initiative.
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