The federal government declared youth vaping, or e-cigarette use, a nationwide
epidemic. In light of these concerns and the misinformation surrounding this topic, the Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida and QuitDoc Foundation are helping educate parents, educators, pediatricians and partners on what they need to know about vaping and youth.
This year’s Tobacco Free Florida Week, which takes place April 22–28, is themed E-Epidemic: Vaping and Youth. Youth education on electronic cigarette use will be a central to this weeks youth activities in addition to a clean-up at the Boys & Girls Club Silver Springs Shores location.
The most popular e-cigarette brand is JUUL, a device shaped like a USB drive that is available in a variety of flavors and easy to conceal. In fact, youth are using JUUL devices inside school bathrooms and classrooms.
Youth vaping has increased dramatically across the country and in Florida. In 2018,
about 25% of Florida high school students reported current use of electronic vaping – a
58% increase compared to 2017.
In Marion County, according to the 2018 FYTS, youth ages 11 to 17 reported current use of electronic vaping at 14% of youth, and 29.1% had tried electronic vaping.
Youth are vaping at much higher rates compared to adults. One in four Florida high
school students are vaping. Only about 4% of Florida adults report using vapes.
The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are still unknown. E-cigarette devices heat a
liquid – usually containing nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals – and produce an
aerosol. This aerosol, aka “vapor,” is not water. Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette
aerosol could be harmful to the lungs in the long-term, according to the CDC. For
example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the
gut can process more substances than the lungs.
E-cigarettes, including JUUL, typically contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Youth
may be more sensitive to nicotine and feel dependent on nicotine sooner compared to
adults.
According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod (the “liquid” refill) contains
as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes. JUUL uses nicotine salts, which can allow high levels of nicotine to be inhaled more easily and with less irritation.
The brain continues to develop until the early to mid-20s and the developing brain is
more vulnerable to the negative effects of nicotine. The effects include reduced impulse
control, deficits in attention and cognition, and mood disorders. Using nicotine in
adolescence may also increase risk for future addiction to other drugs.
Evidence suggests that youth who use e-cigarettes may be at greater risk of starting to
smoke regular cigarettes.
“The rapid increase in youth experimenting with vaping has become an alarming public health threat in Marion County,” says Lauren Fischer, Community Health Advocate of the QuitDoc Foundation.
“We are committed to addressing these concerns locally and we want parents and educators in our communities to know that Tobacco Free Florida is a trusted resource for credible and accurate information about the youth vaping epidemic.”
Parents and educators should advise youth of the dangers of nicotine; discourage youth
tobacco use in any form, including e-cigarettes; and set a positive example by being tobacco free themselves.
Tobacco Free Florida is taking steps to educate Floridians about this troubling epidemic through social media campaigns and an educational blog post, which can be found at tobaccofreeflorida.com/eepidemic.
The Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation
and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund. Since the program
began in 2007, more than 212,000 Floridians have successfully quit using one of Tobacco Free Florida’s free tools and services. There are now approximately 451,000 fewer adult smokers in Florida than there was 10 years ago, and the state has saved $17.7 billion in health care costs.
To learn more about Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way services, visit
www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.
The Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida and QuitDoc Foundation are charged with addressing
tobacco products, but feel it is important to note that e-cigarette devices, including JUUL and products that resemble JUUL, can be used to deliver marijuana. Their information and resources focus on e-cigarette devices that deliver nicotine.