Urgent Action Demanded to Combat Rising Vaping Rates in Teenagers

The use of e-cigarettes had become quite prevalent among adolescents in Australia, stated study.

One in five young Australian individuals have engaged in vaping within the last year. This study, one of the largest surveys on e-cigarette usage, was published in the Medical Journal of Australia and scrutinized vaping patterns among young people in three different states ().

The majority of participants in the survey were students from independent schools residing in major urban areas. Researchers from the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney extended invitations to 4,445 students aged 14 to 17, hailing from 70 schools in New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia.

Adolescent E-cigarette Use: Findings from a Survey

Among the 4,204 respondents, the research exposed the relatively widespread occurrence of e-cigarette use among adolescents. Dr. Lauren Gardner, the lead researcher and a research fellow at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, noted that "26% of respondents had experimented with e-cigarettes, with an average age of initiation at 14 years. In the past twelve months, 20.4% of respondents reported e-cigarette usage, and 5.7% admitted to regular current use."

All You Need to Know About E-cigarettes
E- cigarettes, a new device to counter the disease burden of tobacco smoking.

‘Among Australian adolescents, immediate action is imperative to reduce the adoption and utilization of e-cigarettes. #ecigarettes #vaping’

The study also highlighted gender disparities, with a higher prevalence of past-year use among boys and non-binary participants compared to girls. Additionally, the prevalence of regular current use was higher among non-binary participants and those who chose not to specify their gender. Interestingly, socio-economic status and geographic remoteness did not appear to influence the prevalence of current or past-year e-cigarette use.

In response to these findings, the authors emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to address this issue. Dr. Gardner stressed the importance of increased support for young individuals within the primary care system and the implementation of evidence-based prevention programs and resistance skills training in schools. Furthermore, she emphasized the necessity of government-level interventions, including e-cigarette control policies, investment in prevention and cessation support, and communication campaigns.

Reference:

Prevalence, patterns of use, and socio-demographic features of e-cigarette use by Australian adolescents: a survey - (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.52075)

Source-Medindia

E-cigarette or Vaping Product use-Associated Lung Injury is More Common Among Youngsters
Vaping e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) can trigger a new, serious lung disease known as E-cigarette or Vaping Product use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI).

Negative Effects from Vaping Uncovered
Nicotine didn’t have any worse effects on surface tension of surfactant compared to other e-liquids, but some flavoring agents like menthol e-liquid did.

Ill Effects of Vaping During Pregnancy
Vaping during pregnancy was found to cause long-term pulmonary effects in the offspring, revealed mice study.