Experts say the popular disposable e-cigarettes have made the task of eradicating nicotine addiction in youth nearly impossible.
The ghastly impact of these highlighter-sized e-cigarettes filled with liquid nicotine should not be underestimated. Professor Colin, who holds a doctorate in the genetic impact of smoking cessation, claims that although meant for adults, disposable e-cigarettes are rather commonly used by teens.
Its easy access is why more and more teens are getting addicted to it, especially in the US. A product like reusable vapes is selling like hot cakes leading to prohibition by the FDA.
Juul, the biggest producer of e-cigarettes, got banned recently by The US Food and Drug Administration, however, the ban has been withheld for not producing enough data on its potential harm. The disposable e-cigarette is powered by a battery – with nicotine liquid in it.
The ban was appreciated by Mark Murphy, Irish Heart Foundation officer. Juul is one, big producer who set trends for other companies.
Such companies market e-cigarettes as smart cigarette alternatives supposed to cause lesser harm than traditional cigarettes but end up creating more options for teens to get addicted. The transition is never easy.
The tobacco cigarette companies are adapting e-cigarettes because of their growing popularity. The excessive supply and availability make people. who never smoked, smoke vape now. Unfortunately, some users transition back to tobacco cigarettes.
Murphy feels there should be educational campaigns to guide the youth about nicotine addiction and how this cheap alternative can cause serious harm. Studies indicate that using e-cigarettes can lead people to smoke tobacco cigarettes in the future.
Interestingly, there is not much evidence found in support of the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in quitting smoking.
Additionally, the younger generation has a weaker decision power in comparison to the adults in terms of indulging in nicotine products.
Experts insist that the problem is much more complex.
Nicotine in one e-cigarette is equivalent to around 40 tobacco cigarettes making it cheaper for the youth who do not have a sound source of income. One disposable e-cigarette is much cheaper in comparison to a pack of cigarettes.
According to expert opinion, the funky packaging gets them sold easily. While the apparent target audience is adults, the stylish packaging only brings in more teens. Widely shared and consumed, the vapes are just thrown away.
The e-cigarette companies claim to be catering to the adult audience only. The packaging, however, says quite the opposite.
Researches reveal around 39% of Irish teens had used e-cigarettes once with most of them have used them in the past month.
Companies such as Vibe and VIP have switched from producing tobacco cigarettes to vapes to profit more and the situation is getting out of hand the way youth is the target audience.
Point fingers at them and they will say it only helps people gradually move towards complete cessation. The truth is, such companies are profiting from the nicotine addiction of youth.
The whole procedure of producing it in a factory to shelving it in a shop makes things easier for the suppliers. With availability and affordability and some snappy marketing, teens who have not even touched a cigarette before, get addicted to it.
Most importantly, HSE believes vaping is all red flags if considered a way of quitting smoking. It is as ineffective as gums and nicotine patches. There is a high probability of teens turning to tobacco smoking who have vaped before.
Often named the cleaner alternative, e-cigarettes are not clean at all. Youth are made to think of it as a healthy choice.
Murphy states that if the said product is a healthy alternative as per stated by the e-cigarette companies, why does nobody lay it out straight for everyone? The health authorities need to clarify its legal status. The grey area has the concerned experts worried.
More and more experts are condemning the marketing gimmick in an attempt to warn the youth of its irreversible health damage. The so-called smoke alternative is even worse. Therefore, it is extremely important to the educated masses, especially if they are taking it as an alternative. They should be encouraged to quit e-cigarettes too after a certain period to not build up the addiction further.
Another big concern is how these disposable vapes are. Unfortunately, they are as harmful to the environment as they are to the lungs and heart. Disposable e-cigarettes are made from harmful chemicals such as nicotine, metal, and majorly plastic. Thousands and thousands of vapes are just thrown away degrading wildlife.
The producers provide no information about how environmentally friendly disposable e-cigarettes are. How long will they take to decompose? Will they cause any harm to the water or soil? What are the right methods of disposing of them? These questions stay unanswered.
EPA, however, recommends throwing e-cigarettes in specially designated bins for electric equipment. Another way to recycle them is to sell them back to the retailer. EPA has initiated the conversation on the impact of e-cigarettes on youth and how equally harmful they are to the environment. The companies will be asked to create certain policies about waste management soon.
It has been observed that uninformed e-cigarette users throw away their empty devices into garbage cans that are not meant for electronics. The other half does not give much thought to the environmental factors and throws it anywhere on the ground like any other piece of trash.
The buyers should be aware of the risk factors attached to e-cigarettes especially if they want to quit later on. The environmental concerns should also be kept under consideration. There is no proper method of disposing of plastic waste and harmful chemicals.
Different health committees, including HSE, EPA, and many other concerned authorities, suggest timely action to prevent youth from nicotine addiction. E-cigarette production companies should also adopt an environment-friendly stance.
