Masticating gum, drinking cola, consuming kiwi fruits. - Lung specialists urge immediate prohibition of flavored e-cigarettes.
These e-cigarettes might seem safe, but they're the opposite, especially in misty conditions.
The trend among young people these days is for electronic one-time cigarettes that come with fruity and sweet scents.
Over a third of youngsters have given these a go
E-cigarette usage among 9 to 17-year-olds has more than doubled from 2021 to 2023. Over one-third (37.5%) of this age group have already tried e-cigarettes in 2023. This trend is only getting stronger.
Youths are specifically targeted
Why? Because: The brain in young people and those younger than 18 isn't fully developed yet. Tobacco makes them hooked quicker than adults, and it can also harm their brain development.
That's not right. Because: The brain in young people and those under 18 isn't fully formed. Tobacco makes them more easily addicted.
Instant ban on flavoured vapes
As lung doctor Windisch explains, "We need to fight this now before we produce a generation of nicotine-dependent e-cigarette users." He urges, "Aromas in e-cigarettes must be prohibited immediately."
On top of that, health care needs to invest in quitting programs and educate young people about the fatal consequences of smoking.
Aromas boost addiction risk
Research from the Institute for Therapy and Health Research in Kiel (IFT-North) backs up these claims.
Professor Reiner Hanewinkel, the head of IFT-North, explains the risks: "Aromas minimize the cough reflex. This makes smoking easier for beginners, and they have a reinforcing effect, especially for young people." Also, aromas enable deeper inhaling. This ups your intake of harmful ingredients. "Finally, aromas increase the likelihood of addiction, as nicotine is absorbed better," warns Hanewinkel.
In Germany, there's approximately two million adults who use e-cigarettes. And, around 50,000 people get sick with lung cancer every year - one of the causes? Smoking.
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