Will Banning Flavors Help the E-Cigarette Problem?
The move could prevent new vapers, but it could also cause current users to pick up smoking
The number of young people who vape has reached epidemic proportions, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2018, 20% of high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the last 30 days — an increase of more than 75% from the previous year — and 28% of those teens used the products on a near-daily basis.
In an attempt to combat the explosive popularity of e-cigarettes, the FDA recently announced that it plans to ban flavored nicotine products. On Wednesday, one of the most popular e-cigarette companies, JUUL Labs, said in a statement that it would not fight pushback on the ban.
Many have applauded the proposed action taken by federal authorities, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Lung Association. But some experts are concerned that the flavor ban will have unintended health consequences, such as pushing vapers to use traditional cigarettes.
There’s convincing evidence that a primary reason young people start vaping is the sweet flavors. One study published in 2017 reported that more than 90% of youth and young adult e-cigarette users consume flavored products. Perhaps more…
