What’s the latest news about e-cigarettes? It was a good day this month when news dropped that the e-cigarette maker, Juul Labs, will pay $462 million to six US states and Washington DC. This sum is the largest multi-state settlement yet for the troubled company that has been accused of contributing to the rise of vaping among youth. While this is encouraging news, it is important for parents/guardians to know that Juul is no longer the most dominant e-cigarette maker.
HIGH NICOTINE E-CIGARETTES DOMINATE SALES
In 2022, over 2.5 million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, with nearly 46% of high schoolers who vape doing so near daily (Truth Initiative).
Even more troubling is sales of e-cigarettes with the highest levels of nicotine have not only seen a 15-fold increase in sales but they are also sold at a much lower price than the lower nicotine level products. It’s like how you can get a 32-ounce soda at the convenience store for half the cost of a 12-ounce cup. E-cigarette manufacturers know teens are cost-conscious so the cheaper but “bigger’ option could easily be more appealing and, unfortunately, more dangerous.
WHAT’S THE HARM?
There are no limits on nicotine concentrations in e-cigarettes but there should be. Nearly 1 in 3 young adults believe nicotine is no more harmful than a cup of coffee; and more than 1 in 8 believe that nicotine is only addictive when smoked from a cigarette (Truth Initiative). Make no mistake, e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. Not only can nicotine exposure during adolescence cause addiction, it can also worsen mental health concerns and symptoms such as mood disorders and permanent lowering of impulse control (Surgeon General).
Social media platforms are known to spread misinformation and inaccurate scientific claims about nicotine. Young adults who use YouTube had 32% higher odds of believing in Covid-19-specific distorted science such as e-cigarette chemicals sterilize the air, offering protection from COVID infection (Truth Initiative). Big Tobacco recognizes this belief in distorted science can play into more positive beliefs in the tobacco industry so they use it to their advantage. E-cigarette messaging should be designed to be easily understood by the public and monitored to detect the spread of misinterpretation or misinformation on social media. It is unclear whether any attempt to regulate this misinformation has occurred.
DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTES
If you thought that there were restrictions on many sweet and fruity flavored vapes, you’d be surprised to know that Federal restrictions enacted in 2020 only applied to closed pod e-cigarettes like JUUL. Disposable, open-system, and refillable devices were exempt from those restrictions. As you can imagine, those products have skyrocketed in popularity, with use increasing about 1,000% among high school e-cigarette users and more than 400% among middle school users during 2019-2020 (Truth Initiative). The National Youth Tobacco Survey shows that the most popular e-cigarette brand among teens is Puff Bar at 14.5% (2022), VUSE (12.5%) , Hyde (5.5%) and SMOK at 4%. Many disposable e-cigarette manufacturers also use synthetic nicotine (created in a lab) which continues the flow of fruity and sweet flavors into the market.
The FDA has been slow to regulate this and so these products remain on the market and marketed to young users. Synthetic nicotine products are marketed as “tobacco free” and “healthier” than tobacco-derived products, however, nicotine, no matter how you slice it, is still an addictive chemical. In order to reign in the industry, the FDA must prioritize completing its review of the top brands that are most popular with youth and address disposable and synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes.
SILVER LINING?
Amidst the news about high rates of e-cigarette use in youth and the continual flood of flavored vapes such as lemon cookies or strawkiwi, the FDA issued a market denial for two menthol e-cigarette products, requiring immediate removal from the US market. Why is this important? Menthol, both on its own and in combination with nicotine, alters the nicotine receptors in the brain and can contribute to nicotine dependence. The removal of two of R.J Reynolds Vapor Company’s Vuse Solo brand products is a big success and will help keep these addictive products out of the hands of young people.
While current federal regulations can't ensure these companies aren't targeting our kids, parents can do a lot to keep them safe:
Get involved with an organization like PAVe who advocates for policy to protect kids from vaping companies and big tobacco.
Sign up to receive the Truth Initiative newsletter to stay up to date with news regarding youth tobacco and nicotine use.
Ask your child if they are learning about nicotine products at school.
Inquire about how your child’s school responds when a student is found vaping.
Ask questions and be curious about what your child is seeing at school, in social media, and social gatherings; the more you know, the more you can help.
Years of progress in ending nicotine addiction are at risk due to the increasing number of new tobacco products. By arming ourselves with information on smoking, vaping, and tactics employed by the tobacco industry, we can enable our children to make informed decisions and encourage their peers to do the same.