Cigarette smoking among US teens did not increase. However, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that e-cigarettes and hookah use among the age group has increased over the years. The trend has become so popular that one in four high school students use either of the two plus other tobacco products.
"E-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth, and use continues to climb," CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said in a CDC release. "No form of youth tobacco use is safe. Nicotine is an addictive drug and use during adolescence may cause lasting harm to brain development."
Adolescents' use of e-cigarettes and hookahs rising, survey results show. https://t.co/stfLPoQd5v. pic.twitter.com/SQOrXUHmjh
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 14, 2016
According to the agency, there was an increase in high school students using e-cigarettes by 1.5% in 2011 to 16% in 2015. There was also an increase among middle school students that use e-cigarettes from 0.6% in 2011 to 5.3% in 2015. Hookahs are also a popular choice among teens with 7.2% of high school students using it and 2% among middle schoolers.
CNN reported that one of the many reasons why e-cigarettes and hookahs are becoming popular is that they are easily accessible. There are no age restrictions to buying these products and teens can easily purchase them on the internet. Additionally, the advertising of e-cigarettes as coming in many flavors also contributed to increased use.
E-cigarettes are marketed as an alternative to cigarette smoking. They deliver nicotine but without all the other harmful ingredients of tobacco. New York Times reported that it is not clear if the devices can really help smokers quit, especially the older ones. However, the fact remains the cigarette smoking is still the leading preventable cause of death among Americans.
What do you think of the rising trend of e-cigarette and hookah use among teenagers? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.
