"Some 34 million U.S. adults smoke cigarettes, and tobacco use causes more than 480,000 deaths annually, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Vaping has been marketed as a lower-risk way for adult smokers to curb cravings, yet it has surged in popularity among teens. So how can lawmakers discourage youth use of e-cigarettes while protecting access for adult smokers who are using them to help quit smoking?"
"In 2024 about 8 percent of high school students in the U.S. reported e-cigarette use, which was a decline from 10 percent the year before, suggesting a moderate success of policy interventions aimed at decreasing use of e-cigarettes and vaping among youth, said the event's moderator, PORTAL researcher Joseph Daval. But evidence also suggests that while some interventions like bans on flavored vapes might decrease use among youth, these gains may come at the expense of increased use among adults of combustible tobacco products, which remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S."
"There's myriad research pointing to e-cigarettes as an effective smoking cessation aid."
Approximately 34 million U.S. adults currently smoke cigarettes and tobacco use causes over 480,000 deaths annually. Vaping is presented as a lower-risk option for adult smokers to curb cravings, but youth vaping increased sharply and remains a concern. E-cigarettes use internal heating elements and flavored nicotine liquid, exposing users to fewer toxic chemicals and lower carcinogen levels than combustible cigarettes. Some policies, such as bans on flavored vapes, can reduce youth e-cigarette use, yet such interventions may unintentionally increase adult combustible tobacco use. Balancing youth protection with adult cessation access is a key regulatory challenge.
Read at Harvard Gazette
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