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Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute®
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Young people who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes than their peers who do not vape. On top of that, e-cigarette use among young people, many of whom were not smokers in the first place, has skyrocketed in recent years, jumping 78% among high schoolers between 2017 and 2018 alone.
See our work on vaping & e-cigarettesNicotine levels in e-cigarettes are highly variable, with some reaching levels near combustible cigarettes. Nicotine is harmful to developing brains: younger users are more likely to become addicted, have more difficulty quitting and may be at higher risk for addiction to other substances in the future. While we endorse the important public health strategy of harm minimization and these new products may be beneficial to smokers who completely switch from combustible tobacco, they still pose health risks and nonsmokers should never use them.
E-cigarettes are threatening to addict a new generation to nicotine, and we are committed to research and actions that protect today's young people. We have conducted studies on e-cigarettes, especially the leading brand that is driving the epidemic of youth e-cigarette use, JUUL, and helped lead efforts to call on regulatory action needed to protect youth. We have also been at the forefront of public education and community engagement efforts focused on e-cigarettes, including our Safer ≠ Safe campaign and the first-of-its-kind program to help young people quit vaping, This is Quitting.
