Vaping among youth and young adults: a “red alert” state.

Introduction:
This article discusses the increasing use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, among youth and young adults and the potential health risks associated with it. The authors propose nine policy measures to limit the appeal of vaping products to this demographic and reduce potential harms.

Key Points:

* Vaping prevalence is higher in countries with loose regulation compared to those with stricter policies.
* The use of newer, more appealing pod-based products, such as Juul, has contributed to the increase in youth vaping.
* Early evidence suggests an association between vaping and increased odds of heart attacks, as well as potential lung-related harms.
* The authors recommend nine policies to limit the exposure and use of vaping products by youth and young adults, including taxation, advertising restrictions, health warnings, product and packaging design restrictions, nicotine content caps, flavor bans, minimum age enforcement, regulation of vaping outlet density, and vape-free policies.
* Further research is necessary to inform policy and user decisions about vaping as a smoking cessation aid.

Main Message:
The increasing rates of vaping among youth and young adults, coupled with the potential health risks, necessitate the implementation of restrictive policies to reduce vaping among these populations and prevent vaping from serving as a gateway to smoking. Such policies can also help protect adult smokers who have not quit with the aid of evidence-based cessation methods. By following the recommended policies and conducting further research, public health outcomes can be improved.

Al-Hamdani M, Hopkins DB, Park T. Vaping among youth and young adults: a “red alert” state. Journal of public health policy. 2020;41(1):63-69. doi:10.1057/s41271-019-00193-2