The Rise of E-Cigarettes Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) usage among young adults has risen dramatically in recent years, coinciding with increas-es in sales and advertisements.
1,2 At the forefront of the mar-
ket is JUUL, an e-cigarette company worth more than $16 bil-lion.
2,3 Use of JUUL by youth in schools, including in class-
rooms and bathrooms, has been widely reported in the media. While the FDA is working to address the issue of e-cigarette sales and advertising to young adults, there are many con-cerns about the dangers to youth currently using JUULs and other e-cigarettes:
1,4-5
1. Nicotine is particularly harmful to youth due to its ability to affect brain development, which continues until age 25. Because of this, nicotine is even more addictive for youth than adults. Long-term risks of nicotine use in youth include addiction, mood disorders, permanent low-ering of impulse control, and harmful effects on attention and learning. A single JUULpod con-tains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.
5
2. E-cigarette aerosol is not just nicotine or harmless water vapor. Other substances in e-cigarette aerosol include volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, ul-trafine particles that get inhaled deeply into the lungs, and chemi-cals such as diacetyl that have been linked to serious lung dis-eases. Scientists are still learn-ing about the long-term health effects of e-cigarette aerosol.
3. E-cigarettes may be a gate-way. There is some evidence that young adults who smoke e-cigarettes may actually increase their risk of smoking cigarettes in the future.
5,6 Using nicotine in
adolescence may also prime the brain for future addiction to other drugs. E-cigarette devices can also be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.
Learn more at https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/.
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
Spotlight CPR
and First Aid
2
Syphilis Rising
in KC
2
November
CD Report
3
References 3
S P E C I A L
P O I N T S O F
I N T E R E S T :
E-cigarette use
is rising dramati-
cally among
youth in Platte
County
Spotlight PCHD!
Have you ever
learned CPR and
First Aid? What
about Mental
Health First Aid?
Syphilis is rising
in the KC region
Reported flu
cases are still
low in Platte
County
For more information or questions about Epi Update, contact
Erin Sanders, PCHD Epidemiology
Specialist at: (816) 858-2412
Epi Update A newsletter for healthcare professionals in Platte County, MO
D E C E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 8 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 1 2
What’s in a JUUL
Starter Kit? 7
JUUL Device
USB Charger
Flavored
JUULpods
mint, tobacco, creme, mango
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
6 7 8 9 10 11 12School Grades
Ever used e-cigs Used e-cigs in past month
Just how many Platte County teens use e-cigarettes?
Since 2014, e-cigarette use has nearly doubled in 6th-12th
grade students in Platte County, MO school districts. Nearly 1
in 3 seniors surveyed in 2018 reported recent e-cigarette use.9
Did you know? E-cig companies are using the same advertising
techniques today as tobacco companies did over 50 years ago8
Percent of students in Platte County, MO school dis-tricts reporting electronic cigarette use by school grade, 2018 Missouri Student Survey 9
% o
f st
ud
ents
rep
orti
ng
e-c
ig u
se