Despite the impending regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more and more teens continue to vape because they think it's "cool." As the popularity of this new craze continues to increase, the FDA is looking to imply more strict rules on using e-cigarettes, as health concerns over this new fad is still up for debate.
Is Vaping Better?
Electronics cigarettes or e-cigarettes can come in many shapes and sizes. E-cigarettes produce aerosol through heating liquid that contains nicotine and other tobacco flavoring. These electronic devices can also be used for marijuana.
Because e-cigarettes are still considered fairly new, it has been difficult for experts to determine just how healthy they are.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Cancer Society claim that e-cigarettes are less harmful than actual cigarettes. In January, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also released a review on 800 e-cigarettes confirming the same facts.
The National Academies of Sciences did state that the actual risks of using e-cigarettes could be not determined at the time, which didn't confirm if vaping would be a better alternative overall. Another theory is that using the electronic devices would be an alternative to help those who want to quit smoking. The National Academies of Sciences stated that more research is needed to fully suggest that vaping would help curb the addiction to nicotine.
In a study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the percentage of people who tried e-cigarettes increased between 2014 and 2016. The number of people who were smoking cigarettes fell from 16.8 percent in 2014 to 15.5 percent in 2016. These findings could support that people are beginning to wean off regular cigarettes.
Why Teens Won't Stop Vaping
The brand Juul, which has also become popular among teens, is another rising fad that has become common in schools. Experts believe that the increase of Juul on social media has a major impact on the new vaping movement as well.
"The omnipresence of Juul on social media has undoubtedly made kids overestimate the extent of teen Juuling — young people tend to think that their peers drink, smoke, and hook up more than they actually do," Jia Tolentino wrote for the New Yorker.
There are other experts who feel that this fad will pass especially as more laws will be implemented in the near future.
