Study links e-cigarette marketing and popularity with teens
The unregulated marketing of e-cigarettes has led to increased popularity among teens and young adults, according to a study published by the University of Texas at Austin and the UT Health Science Center School of Public Health in Houston.
The study, led by UT professor Alexandra Loukas and co-authored by Keryn Pasch, associate professor at the Texas Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science on Youth and Young Adults, found that there’s a “clear relationship between the types and placement of e-cigarette ads on the increased likelihood of youth and young adult use of these products.”
Of the nearly 6,000 teens and young adults surveyed across Texas metro areas, many reported having started vaping after seeing ads for the nicotine products, according to the study titled “Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Marketing and Initiation Among Youth and Young Adults.” It was published in the September issue of Pediatrics
“Researchers found that those who remembered seeing in-store and TV e-cigarette marketing were significantly more likely to begin using e-cigarettes up to 2.5 years later, with an increased likelihood of 30 percent for young adults,” according to the report. “Results held even after controlling for the effects of the use of other tobacco products and vaping by peers.”
E-cigarettes surpassed cigarettes as the most popular tobacco product among teenagers and young adults ages 18-29 back in 2014. At that point, 4.9 percent of middle school students and 20.8 percent of high school students reported that they used e-cigarettes, also known as vaping.
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that contain an aerosol that is inhaled. The aerosol usually contains nicotine, artificial flavorings or other chemicals, and they can resemble traditional cigarettes, cigars, pipes, pens or long USB flash drives.
The study comes amid a growing concern about the safety of vaping. On Sept. 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned e-cigarette company Juul Labs Inc., against marketing their products as “much safer” than cigarettes, “totally safe,” or “a safer alternative than smoking cigarettes” because the company had not received federal approval to promote or sell its products under those claims.
Referring to the products as “99 percent safer” than cigarettes “is particularly concerning because these statements were made directly to children in school,” the FDA stated in the letter. “Our concern is amplified by the epidemic rate of increase in youth use of ENDS products, including Juul’s products, and evidence that ENDS products contribute to youth use of, and addiction to, nicotine, to which youth are especially vulnerable.”
The FDA delivered the warning letter after reviewing documents from an FDA inspection of Juul’s headquarters, submitted information from the company and the company website, as well as a House Subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C.
While e-cigarette marketing has been unregulated, the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act requires cigarette manufacturers, packagers and imports “to place one of four statutorily prescribed health warning statements on cigarette packages and in advertisements. The act alsoprohibits any advertising of cigarettes and little cigars on radio, TV and other media regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.
In an effort to curb youth use, Juul Labs said it launched a “Track and Trace” program in the Houston area that was meant to use data to identify how its vaporizers end up being used by minors. By using a serial number on the bottom of Juul vaporizers, the company tracks the product from manufacture to distribution to retail to sale.
In the case that someone over the age of 21 buys several products to sell on the street, the company would then investigate by talking to a store manager or enhancing its secret shopper program around a certain store or distributor.
Juul also removed non-tobacco and non-menthol flavored pods from all physical retail stores, strengthened their own purchasing system online to make sure its buyers are 21 or older and not buying products in bulk, as well as deactivating its Facebook and Instagram accounts.
In August, the company partnered with a number of retailers to implement Retail Access Control Standards, an age-verification system for age-restricted products in brick-and-mortar stores.
More than 450 possible cases of lung illness associated with the use of e-cigarette products had been reported from 33 states and one U.S. territory to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seven deaths have been confirmed in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon, according to the CDC. Since there is no evidence of infectious diseases, investigators believe the lung illnesses are “likely associated with chemical exposure.”
“The investigation has not identified any specific substances or e-cigarette product that is linked to all cases. Many patients report using e-cigarette products with liquids that contain cannabinoid products, such as THC,” the CDC said.
At least three people in Houston have been hospitalized with serious lung illnesses following e-cigarette use, according to the Houston health department. These are the first documented local cases of vaping-related disease in the city, and all are reported to have occurred within the past month.
A Tomball High School student was hospitalized Sept. 9 after using a vape pen (also called a dab pen) during an after-school activity. The school district released a statement that said educational resources have been put in place to continue efforts to educate students and parents on the negative effects of vaping.