The FDA and CDC say there is a teen vaping epidemic. Parents are understandably alarmed. No one wants teens vaping or smoking traditional cigarettes. But it's important to look at the facts and understand the risks. The CDC says teen vaping increased 78 percent between 2017 and 2018. Yet, the CDC defines “current e-cig users,” as any teen that used once in a 30-day period. The CDC also failed to determine if these teen users were using nicotine-free vape liquid… ...which means they wouldn't be vulnerable to the addictive qualities of nicotine. The reality is, only about 5.7 percent of all high school students regularly use e-cigarettes. And the rate of teen smoking is at a historic low... ...suggesting vaping is not a gateway to traditional smoking. Some want vaping products removed from the marketplace because of fears of a teen vaping epidemic. This would harm millions whom have been able to quit smoking because of e-cigarettes. Switching from combustible cigarettes to vaping dramatically improves their expected health outcomes. Eliminating e-cigarettes could encourage teens who experiment with vaping to try far more harmful cigarettes. Of course, we should work to discourage teen vaping, but let's not let alarmism about teen vaping end this health trend. To learn more, visit iwf.org.

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