Study: Youth Vaping Rates Decline During COVID-19 Pandemic

Source from:  Vapingpost 12/07/2020

A new study published in JAMA Network Online reports that youth vaping rates in the U.S. have declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a psychologist and professor of pediatrics at Stanford University, in California, led the study.

Two-thirds of e-cigarette users report that they have cut back or quit vaping during the pandemic. 32 percent of e-cigarette users say that they quit vaping and 35 percent reported cutting back according to Halpern-Felsher’s survey.

“One of the main reasons they quit is that they were worried about lung health, and we think that’s important, that they thought they could hurt their lungs,” Halpern-Felsher said in a news report published by HealthDay News, via U.S. News & World Report. “This really provides an opportunity to talk about and provide education about lung health.”

According to the conclusions of the study, youth e-cigarette users have reported significant changes in their use trends of ENDS and at point-of-purchase.

“The US Food and Drug Administration and local policymakers may find these data useful to inform policies to prevent e-cigarette sales to underage youth,” the study notes.

This survey was done online with 2,167 youth and young adults who use e-cigarettes. 1,198 respondents reported that they have changed their amount of e-cigarette use, with 810 respondents reducing or completely quitting the use of e-cigarettes. E-cigarette access has also shifted to alternative retail stores and online points of sale.

“Reduced e-cigarette use or quitting was associated with adhering to shelter-in-place guidelines and was less likely if participants had used e-cigarettes more than 10 times or were nicotine dependent,” the study notes.

The study notes that individuals younger than 21 years of age who have reported e-cigarette use are accessing products from online and retail outlets due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on personal movement.