Surge in US adolescent e-cigarette use
Date:2019-10-17 15:23:38 Clicks:395 【Font Size:
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The latest US data showed that nicotine e-cigarette use in adolescents more than doubled between 2017 and 2019, revealing failure of current regulatory measures to curb the epidemic of adolescent e-cigarette use.
National Institute of Health of the US conducts a national survey in Grade 12, 10 and 8 (Secondary 6, 4 and 2) students annually. In 2019, the prevalence of past-month nicotine e-cigarette use was 25.4% in Grade 12; 20.2% in Grade 10 and 9.0% in Grade 8, compared with 11.0%, 8.2% and 3.5% in 2017. The prevalence has more than doubled, despite the regulatory measures, such as minimum age of purchase and pre-market approval, etc. introduced since 2016.
As at early October 2019, the US has reported nearly 1,300 cases of lung diseases and 26 deaths related to e-cigarette use. In view of this, the government is considering a national ban on flavored e-cigarettes, while some states, such as Massachusetts and Washington, have already banned all or flavored e-cigarettes.
Currently, nearly 30 countries, such as Singapore, Thailand and Brazil, have already banned the sale of all e-cigarettes. India, which has over 100 million smokers and the second highest number of smokers in the world, has also approved a total ban on e-cigarettes, as well as heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco.
Hong Kong should enact a total ban on e-cigarettes, HNB tobacco and other alternative smoking products to prevent its prevalence as early as possible to safeguard individual and public health. COSH is organizing the “Support to enact a total ban on e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products” signatory campaign to urge the Government to enact the legislation of total ban on alternative smoking products and to formulate a timeline on smoking ban to achieve a smoke-free Hong Kong. Please support the signatory campaign by signing at the website (www.smokefree.hk/support). COSH also urges the public to beware of the misleading claims by the tobacco companies, and firmly say NO to all smoking products.