Minnesota Department of Health Reports Increase in E-cigarette Addiction

Jul.04.2024

70% of Minnesota high school students who use e-cigarettes want to quit, but struggle with nicotine addiction, new data shows.

According to a report by Bring Me The News on July 4th, new data from a teenage tobacco survey in Minnesota shows that about 70% of students who vape want to quit smoking, and nearly two-thirds of students have attempted to quit smoking more than ten times, but have been unsuccessful.

According to a report released on Tuesday (2nd) by the Minnesota Department of Health, students who vape have shown an increased trend of nicotine dependence.

Dr. Brooke Cunningham, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health, stated that

The situation is extremely serious when it comes to the health risks of nicotine addiction for our teenagers. Many adolescents may smoke or vape e-cigarettes because they believe it can help alleviate stress or anxiety, but nicotine may actually exacerbate these feelings.

According to survey data, 79.6% of students who use e-cigarettes reported experiencing signs of nicotine dependence, such as intense cravings and unconsciously reaching for their e-cigarette. Among students who have used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, 49.5% have engaged in this behavior for at least 20 days. The proportion of students using e-cigarettes frequently has increased by 165% since 2017, with a 47% increase since 2020.

However, since the implementation of public health measures and e-cigarette restrictions, the rate of e-cigarette use among teenagers has decreased. Data shows that in 2023, approximately 13.9% of high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, a significant decrease from 19.3% in 2020.

The Minnesota Department of Health expressed its desire to provide assistance to teenagers seeking to quit smoking.

References:

[1] MDH: Nicotine dependence rising among Minnesotan teenagers

Also Read:

[1] Minneapolis City Council Unanimously Approves Record Cigarette Price Increase

[2] Minnesota's Flavored Tobacco Ban Facing Challenges in Legislature

[3] Minneapolis Council Proposes New Tobacco Regulations to Increase Prices

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