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Vapes in the Classroom: Dangerous Vaping Trends Among Teens!
The article highlights the growing use of vapes among young people in Nürtingen, including health risks and ban plans.
Vapes in the Classroom: Dangerous Vaping Trends Among Teens!
In recent years, the consumption of vapes, i.e. electronic cigarettes, has risen sharply among young people. However, these handy devices, popular for their vapor production and variety of flavors, pose significant health risks. Stuttgart News report that particularly flavored vapes are popular among students, leading to their use being increasingly seen as normal in schools. A 15-year-old student at the Zwilling-Scholl-Realschule in Nürtingen says that she occasionally consumes vapes with friends and finds the different flavors pleasant.
An alarming trend is also evident in the sales statistics: According to the AOK, sales of e-cigarettes in Germany are now around 800 million euros. This turnover has increased sixfold in just ten years. Vapes are particularly popular among young people. In the 12- to 17-year-old age group, consumption of disposable e-cigarettes was 6.7 percent in 2023, which is just below the figure of 7.4 percent for tobacco cigarette consumption.
Health risks and warnings
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of an alarming increase in the use of e-cigarettes, particularly among children and adolescents. Manufacturers' marketing strategies are designed to appeal to younger target groups and to present consumption as less harmful to health. AOK reports that there are even over 16,000 different flavors, including popular options like apple, watermelon and cheesecake.
Another worrying aspect is the ease with which young people have access to these products. Although the sale of e-cigarettes to children and young people has been banned in Germany since April 2016, older friends can be commissioned to buy them, which circumvents the regulations.
A dangerous trend
The consumption of e-cigarettes in Germany stands in stark contrast to efforts to reduce tobacco consumption among young people. While the consumption of tobacco cigarettes among 18 to 25 year olds was 25.4 percent last month, the consumption of disposable e-cigarettes was 12 percent. This highlights how popular vapes have become and the challenges this poses to public health.
There are numerous influencers on social media who promote vape consumption, often with attractive designs and playful appearances aimed at a younger audience. This fact makes it even more difficult to fight the trend. Young people urgently need to be made more aware of the health risks associated with consumption in order to avoid serious health consequences.