On July 22nd, the "China Tobacco Control Campus Tour" event, organized by the China Tobacco Control Association, was launched in Beijing. A reporter from the New Beijing News interviewed Vice President Liao Wenke.
When discussing the issue of teenage smoking rates, Liao Wenke quoted information from officials responsible for the National Health Commission: the smoking rate among teenagers has reached 6.9%, with an attempted smoking rate of 19.9%. Additionally, 180 million children have been exposed to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke in their homes or in public places.
According to a recent survey on tobacco use among Chinese high school and college students in 2021, conducted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of high school students who have experimented with smoking has reached 16.7%, with 23.2% of boys and 9.5% of girls. This figure has decreased compared to the results in 2019.
The electronic cigarette smoking rates among adolescents in countries around the world, aside from China, are also showing alarming trends.
A recent report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that one in every ten individuals aged 18 and above has at least tried electronic cigarettes or vaping devices, with 2.2% of this age group currently using them.
Teenagers who use electronic cigarettes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study in March that found over 2.5 million American students used some form of tobacco product in 2021, with 80% of that usage attributed to disposable e-cigarettes and cartridge-based products like Juul.
According to this study, approximately 2.06 million high school students and 470,000 middle school students reported "currently" smoking.
Previously, there was a strong controversy in Russia over the "12-year-old boy dies from smoking e-cigarettes" incident. While it was ultimately determined that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning, this incident has caused Russian government agencies to pay attention to underage use of e-cigarettes and to tighten relevant regulations. According to interviews with some e-cigarette companies by 2FIRSTS, it is common for underage people to use e-cigarettes in Russia, and local distributors also hold a relaxed attitude towards this.
Although the number of young people using electronic cigarettes in the UK is relatively low, studies indicate that this figure is increasing. According to a survey conducted by YouGov and the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the proportion of children aged 11 to 17 who smoke e-cigarettes has risen from 4% in 2020 to 7% in 2022. The percentage of children who have tried e-cigarettes has also increased from 14% to 16%.
Governments around the world have responded to this issue by speaking out. The Association of Directors of Public Health in the UK has called for stricter regulations, including a ban on brightly colored packaging used by Elf Bar and a review of flavors that may appeal to children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has released a health white paper entitled "Flavored E-Cigarettes and Adolescents," advocating for marketing restrictions and a ban on flavored tobacco products, which has been supported by over 200 US pediatricians to protect children from the dangers of e-cigarettes.
The reason why e-cigarettes have such a profound impact on young people is mainly because of their diverse shapes and flavors which easily attract attention, making it easy for teenagers to become addicted while playing with them. On the other hand, disposable e-cigarettes, which are popular abroad, are as small as USB drives and easy to hide, making them difficult for parents or teachers to detect. In addition to this, false advertising by businesses and advertisements specifically targeting minors also contribute significantly to this issue.
Despite existing policies in various countries that clearly prohibit minors from smoking e-cigarettes, Key Opinion Leaders who promote e-cigarettes on TikTok may face stricter regulatory and punitive measures as the negative impact of e-cigarettes on minors increases.
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