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E-cigarettes and other vape pens sold in glossy displays with flavors like mango, strawberry, and menthol are gaining popularity among the public. There are more than 2,000 different flavors.
Individuals who vape or use e-cigarettes generally are those who smoke cigarettes and switch to vaping so that it would help them quit smoking.
Studies have shown that when adolescents start with vaping, there is a strong likelihood that they will have future cigarette or tobacco use.
When it comes to adolescent use (and never smokers), there isn’t much difference in harmfulness, given the concern for addiction, and likely future risk for traditional tobacco use.
Vaping also has some amount of nicotine.
According to CDC, a study found that 99 percent of e-cigarettes contain nicotine and some vape product labels do not disclose that they contain nicotine, and some vape liquids marketed as containing 0 percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, there has been an outbreak of lung injuries and deaths associated with vaping. In February 2020, CDC confirmed 2,807 cases of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and 68 deaths attributed to that condition.
While the Ministry of Health (MoH) has recorded data on tobacco product users and tobacco-related illnesses, but there has been no data about e-cigarettes or vaping. So, therefore in the next STEP survey, MoH will include e-cigarettes as well.
The STEP survey is conducted every two to three years, particularly focusing on the youth aged between 13-15 years because if the age group smoke cigarettes, then they are more likely to continue using tobacco products in their adulthood too, said the MoH official.
In terms of vaping, WHO states that vaping is equally harmful as normal cigarettes. However, there are no concrete studies conducted on whether vaping is more harmful or whether it will help smokers to gradually quit smoking.
With easy access to tobacco products, the consumption of these products has increased. However, smokeless tobacco products such as khaini, Baba have been reduced. MoH will do its best to advocate against all these, said the official.
There was a case in the national hospital where a person had some problems due to extensive vaping. A few individuals who are into vaping shared that vaping makes them cough persistently.
The owner of the grocery shop shared that many customers come to buy e-cigarettes and the price ranges from Nu 900 to Nu 3,000. However, the owner shared that there has been no decrease in the number of customers who buy cigarettes so far.
Meanwhile, as per WHO, there are more than 300 tobacco-related illnesses in the country.
