CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

E-cigarette use up among high school students in Arkansas

Times Record - 11/23/2018

Nov. 23--Arkansas's rate of e-cigarette use by high school students was 13.7 percent in 2017 and is estimated to approach the national rate of 20.8 percent in 2018, according to a study by the Arkansas Department of Health.

Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week showed e-cigarette use has increased 80 percent in the last year.

"These high rates of use among minors occur even though the sale of e-cigarettes is banned in Arkansas to those under 18, including in vape shops," the ADH states. "E-cigarettes are also banned from use on state higher-education campuses."

Last week, the FDA Commissioner also released a statement on new proposed guidelines to protect children from tobacco. These guidelines will eliminate flavorings in tobacco products sold in stores and online.

Flavorings in tobacco products such as "gummy bear, berry blend, chocolate, peach, cotton candy and others, particularly in e-cigarettes and vaping products, have lured children and adolescents to initiate tobacco use and led to them becoming users of combustible products such as cigarettes." Banning menthol for cigarettes and cigars is also being proposed.

"This is great news in our battle to protect children from starting tobacco use and suffering the harms of tobacco," said Dr. Appathurai Balamurugan, state chronic disease director and medical director for the Tobacco and Chronic Disease Branch. "At the same time, there are many opportunities to protect our youth further."

The CDC notes on its website that e-cigarettes "have the potential to benefit adult smokers who are not pregnant if used as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products" but e-cigarettes are "not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products."

While e-cigarettes have the potential to benefit some people and harm others, scientists still have a lot to learn about whether e-cigarettes are effective for quitting smoking, the CDC adds.

"If you've never smoked or used other tobacco products or e-cigarettes, don't start," the CDC states. "Additional research can help understand long-term health effects."

For more information about tobacco use and additional resources to quit tobacco, visit www.bewellarkansas.org.

___

(c)2018 Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.)

Visit Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.) at www.swtimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.