More children are vaping. FDA Spends $ 60 Million to Change That | Health

Vapant "allows you to reduce your nicotine at your own pace," he said. "The habit of smoking is the hardest part in my opinion, so you always have your habit and reduce your nicotine.

But at the national level, statistics suggest that devices end up in the hands of under-18s, after years of declining use of cigarettes and other tobacco products. The head of the US Food and Drug Administration recently said that the use of e-cigarettes by teens was an "epidemic" and gave manufacturers 60 days to develop plans to end the drug. Minor use of their products.

"E-cigarettes have become the most prevalent – and most dangerous – trend among young people who we believe has reached epidemic proportions," said Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. The presence of fruit and candy flavors is one element that makes the product more appealing to children, he said.

The agency said Tuesday that $ 60 million would be spent to run ads where kids will see them – online and in about 10,000 bathrooms in high schools across the country.

Electronic cigarettes were marketed years ago to help people quit smoking. Spraying is generally considered less dangerous than smoking because burning tobacco produces chemicals harmful to the lungs. But there is little research to date on the long-term effects or impact on young people.

"Most electronic cigarettes contain nicotine," said Marisa Hosier, director of health promotion at the Macon County Health Department. Although the amount of nicotine may be less than that of a cigarette, "nicotine can affect the development of the adolescent brain," she said.

This is the latest evolution of a product that is still being discovered by a wide audience. Vaping products are mainly in two different forms from which customers can choose. One of them, often called electronic cigarettes or "sticks", is presented in smaller, easy-to-use containers.

"Truck drivers love the simple cup holder and something that they can just stick to," said Anna Schwartz, director of the Soy City Vape store.

Small vape products require little or no maintenance and can be found at gas stations. One of the brands that has flourished in recent years is the JUUL, a sleek device with replaceable cartridges that deliver a higher dose of nicotine than many larger vaping devices.

Chris Owens, director of Steam Engine Vaping Co. at Fairview Plaza in Decatur, said the JUUL are popular with students at nearby Millikin University. "Students probably do not have enough time to get the nicotine that they want if they want to use larger facilities," Owens said. "Between classes, they can do it once or twice and it'll be fine."

These "big configurations" can vary considerably in size and shape, but they tend to attract customers who for some time have started to look to the hobby, say vendors vape. Just like a gear head with cars, vape enthusiasts become experts in different parts and designs that alter the performance of a vape product. Different designs and combinations of product parts can affect the amount of steam or "clouds" that a vape pull can generate.

Josh Bartholomew, a Steam Engine customer, said he started using the device seven years ago to stop smoking. During a recent visit, he used a steamer with a lemon aroma.

A corner of the store offers comfortable chairs and a TV with video games and magazines – essentially a living room – which, according to Owens, encourage customers to meet and get to know each other.

"We are a community," he said. "People come in and make friends all the time, sticking on some type of juice or tank, it's really cool to see."

There were also ongoing issues regarding the marketing of e-cigarettes for young people with flashy packaging and child-friendly candy flavors. San Francisco has banned such products, which have also been criticized by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

At its last session, the Illinois General Assembly voted at age 21, but the Gov Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the project. Twenty-four localities in Illinois have implemented higher age restrictions.

Owens asked if the aroma attracted young people.

"I've never seen a child think that a bottle of vape juice was a sweetie," Owens said. "And there are a lot of kids who come with parents and who have never been a kid who said" I want this candy. "I think it has exceeded the proportions."

Kevin Burns, CEO of Juul Labs, pledged earlier this month to prevent children from using his products.

"Juul Labs will work proactively with the FDA in response to its request," Burns said. "Our mission is to improve the lives of adult smokers by providing them with a real alternative to combustible cigarettes." To promote his point of view, the company aired advertisements, particularly in the Inquirer, to promote the product from adults.

Most school districts have also added a language prohibiting e-cigarettes, including the Decatur School District.

"We have never had a problem with the implementation of this policy," said district spokeswoman Maria Robertson.

Teens who use e-cigarettes have alarmed health officials who fear that children will become addicted to nicotine and are more likely to try cigarettes.

Vapor "is very harmful and equally addictive," said Dr. Kaninika Verma, a pulmonologist at the Illinois Lung & Critical Care Institute, part of the OSF medical group. "Whenever we put something in our airways that is not harmful."

It is difficult to determine how many teenagers use. The FDA estimates that about 10.7 million people ages 12 to 17 have used electronic cigarettes or are willing to try them.

In May, US senators Illinois, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, co-wrote a letter to each Illinois school principal asking for more information on the use of cigarettes. by students in their district.

Durbin said that the role of e-cigarettes in helping adult smokers quit is still in question, but that there is certainly no role to play in our country's schools, yet this is exactly where they present themselves.

In announcing FDA announcements last week, Gottlieb said the ads would appear on YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, Facebook and Instagram.

"No young person should use a product containing nicotine," Gottlieb said.

Journalist Kevin Barlow contributed to this report.