CDC Survey Finds Flavors Not to Blame for Teen Vaping

Teens are not drawn to vaping because of tasty e-liquids, according to the results of a CDC poll done in 2019. The results of the National Youth Tobacco Survey were released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week to little excitement in the mainstream media.

Blame Curiosity

When asked what drew them to e-cigarettes, the majority of young adults said it was just curiosity. Around 22% of respondents said they liked flavoured vapes or e-liquid, which is roughly the same amount of kids who said they liked vaping because they could do tricks.

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, the top four reasons young people reported for starting to vape were:

"They piqued my interest." 53.3%
“They were utilised by a friend or family member.” thirty-eight percent
"They come in a variety of tastes, including mint, candy, fruit, and chocolate." (24.4%).
"I can perform stunts with them." (21.2%)

The Kids Are Alright, Parents Not So Much

Since 1999, the NYTS has been investigating juvenile tobacco usage patterns. The findings come at a time when the public's opinion of e-cigarettes and vaping is at an all-time low. EVALI, or e-cigarette and vaping-associated lung damage, hospitalised hundreds and killed over 50 individuals this summer.

EVALI came after a large increase in teen vaping, which some public health experts went so far as to call a "epidemic." So-called "flavoured" e-liquids, which were allegedly developed to attract young people into vaping, have taken a lot of the blame for such high adolescent vaping rates.

The two pillars that many parents, health professionals, and government officials blamed for the rise in vaping among young people were flavours and marketing methods that made e-cigarettes glamorous and fashionable. Of course, none of these concerned organisations bothered to inquire as to why young people vape. They did little more than project their theories upon others.

Too Little Too Late?

The results of the NYTS will be released after:


The FDA has put a partial restriction on flavoured vape cartridges, with the exception of menthol and tobacco flavours.

Eight states have suggested prohibiting flavoured cartridges: Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington.

Three states have already enacted restrictions – Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington – while prohibitions in other states are now facing legal challenges.

The New York State Supreme Court recently issued an injunction to halt the implementation of a planned ban on flavoured vapes. Governor Cuomo stated he will file a measure in the state legislature to prohibit flavours nevertheless, citing "shady vaping corporations" that "target" teenagers with flavours.

Despite the publication of not one, but two CDC studies — one of which blames Vitamin E acetate for the EVALI outbreak – that clearly contradict the frenzy surrounding the previous several months, the media has made no mention of it. Elected authorities, parents' groups, and public health specialists have all remained silent on the CDC's findings.

Tasteless

However, none of the interested parties in the vaping issue have responded to the CDC's findings. To do so, they'd have to retract all of their now-defunct claims that wicked vape firms were attempting to addict their children to nicotine through tastes like cotton candy and bubblegum.

It is bizarre that many feel that savoury goods are exclusively attractive to youth, as though taste receptors fade with age. Isn't it conceivable that grownups like cotton candy and bubblegum as much as children? Or do adults just eat or drink products that have a tobacco or menthol flavour?

Will Cooler Heads Prevail?

The three states that have enacted taste restrictions have not said how long they would be in force. EVALI instances have also decreased, according to the CDC. Young individuals and pregnant women, however, are still advised against vaping, according to the organisation.

Juul has already stopped selling all of its flavour pods save menthol and tobacco, so there's no news on when Mango and Creme Brulee will be available again. While the FDA has banned all tastes, the law only applies to pre-filled cartridges, because youngsters don't seem to appreciate open tanks.

There was a lot of talk about how "flavours" were what drew kids to vaping. It was discussed as if it were a given. No proof was ever offered that this was the case, and now that evidence exists, no one is talking about it. The argument that flavoured vape cartridges "targeted" kids has always been debatable, but now we have statistics to back it up.

But who knows if anyone will pay attention.