The rate of young people using electronic cigarettes is rapidly increasing. According to a study conducted on high school students in the United States, important conclusions have been drawn regarding the reasons that prompt young people to consume electronic cigarettes. Specifically, the main reasons that lead young people to use electronic cigarettes are taste and entertainment, accounting for 63%, while traditional cigarettes are only used as a replacement in 7% of cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Food and Drug Administration, have investigated the reasons for the popularity of electronic cigarettes among high school students. According to their findings, 39% of survey participants started using e-cigarettes because of friends or family members using them. Flavors such as mint, caramel, fruit, or chocolate attracted 31% of consumers. Tobacco companies sell aromatic products to attract young people, who are more likely to try flavored e-cigarettes. Finally, the belief that e-cigarettes are less harmful than other forms of tobacco accounted for 17.1% of the theory, but this theory is still highly controversial.
Young people also stated that they prefer e-cigarettes because they believe that they are easier to obtain than other tobacco products, have lower costs, and can be used in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.
A study similar to that conducted in Germany found that a vast majority of young people aged 14 to 19 use electronic cigarettes due to their curiosity about taste and experience. The researchers estimate this proportion to be 73.1%.
A systematic review was conducted on six studies of young people from different regions. Using the examples of the United States, Romania, France, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia, it was demonstrated that curiosity and peer influence are the two main reasons young people use e-cigarettes.
Imitation behavior has a significant impact on young people using e-cigarettes, just as it does with regular cigarettes over time. The influence from peers and parents is a decisive factor contributing to the worsening of this phenomenon. It is worth noting that the public holds parents largely responsible, as people often think that a lack of basic control and neglect of children have fostered this situation. One study suggests that adolescents with divorced parents are 51% more likely to use e-cigarettes than those with married parents.
Social media platforms play a crucial role in the electronic cigarette use among teenagers, as these e-cigarettes carry advertising messages that target the emotions and intentions of young people. The marketing goal of tobacco companies is to attract a young audience.
A recent trend has drawn significant attention to the fact that some electronic cigarette users are using their devices to consume illegal substances.
A study carried out by UK public health experts has revealed that electronic cigarette users are modifying their devices to inhale illegal drugs, which is a cause for significant concern.
Specifically, research shows that 39% of e-cigarette users admit to using them for drug consumption.
It is worth noting that scientists have observed that they do not have enough understanding of the risks associated with using electronic cigarettes for drug consumption. However, they have not forgotten that continued use can easily lead to overdosing.
电子烟的风险，帮助治疗一些疾病。据伦敦毒理学家马修·布伦德尔博士及其同事指出，电子烟可以通过改造变成药物，这一创新能够大幅度减少电子烟的危害，并有望用于治疗某些疾病。
The Situation in the United States
In October 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data from their annual national tobacco survey, specifically regarding American youth. The survey examined the rate of electronic cigarette use among American high school students in 2022.
A total of 2.14 million high school students, which accounts for 14.1%, and 380,000 or 3.3% of high school students reported using electronic cigarettes.
The vast majority of young people, 85% to be exact, use different flavors of e-cigarettes, with fruit-flavored ones being the most popular, followed by candy and other sugary flavors.
In terms of usage frequency, more than 4 out of 10 young e-cigarette users reported smoking at least 20 cigarettes in a month's span of 30 days.
The current situation in Canada.
A study was conducted in Canada, just a short distance from the United States, to assess the usage rate of e-cigarettes among the 15-24 age group in the past 30 days. This research was carried out in 2017, at a time when e-cigarettes were becoming increasingly popular.
Results have shown that in the past month, 6.2% of Canadians aged 15-24 frequently use e-cigarettes and 23.9% have reported trying them at least once. Additionally, 23% of individuals said they use e-cigarettes daily and 72.5% claimed it was their last cigarette containing nicotine. In fact, individuals aged 15-17 are 4.95% more likely to consume e-cigarettes than those aged 22-24.
The current state of Europe and the United Kingdom.
A study conducted in Europe and the UK revealed the prevalence of e-cigarette usage between 2013 and 2022. The research indicated a significant increase in the usage of e-cigarettes among children and teenagers in the UK. The majority of children aged 11 to 17, approximately 83.8%, have never tried e-cigarettes.
However, in 2022, 15.8% of children aged 11-17 have tried e-cigarettes, compared to 11.2% in 2021 and 13.9% in 2020. Additionally, e-cigarette consumption in the UK has significantly increased.
In the UK, this study will also focus specifically on age groups to provide safer conclusions. Particularly, 10.4% of children aged 11-15 have tried using e-cigarettes. The proportion of 16-17 year-olds who have vaped is 29.1%, increasing to 40.8% among 18-year-olds.
The Current Situation in Greece
In Greek news, it has been reported that in 2013, the University of Athens conducted a global study on smoking habits, with a specific focus on Greek students aged 13-15 and their use of electronic cigarettes. The study revealed that 51.5% of the students were boys and 48.5% were girls.
A study has found that among Greek students aged 13-15, 2.8% are e-cigarette users, while 12.3% have tried them. Statistical data suggests that gender and having smoking relatives are determining factors.
A study conducted in 2014 on Greek territory revealed that 60% of 13-15 year-old Greeks were passive smokers due to their parents smoking at home. Nearly 80% of students reported that they have at least tried smoking once or witnessed other students smoking at school, while 85% claimed that purchasing cigarettes from stores near their school posed no problem to them.
A recent study conducted in Greece in 2017 among the adult population found that the prevalence and usage of electronic cigarettes in the country is on the rise. The analysis was based on a representative sample of the population in Attica.
To be more precise, a survey was conducted in May 2017 through phone interviews with 4,058 adults residing in Attica region. The findings revealed that 32.6% of the participants were smokers. Of this percentage, 54.1% used e-cigarettes. Additionally, 24% of those who have quit smoking reported using e-cigarettes.
The total population of Attica is approximately 3.1 million, with 1 million smokers, 848,000 people who have tried e-cigarettes, and 155,000 smokers who typically opt for vaping.
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