High schoolers experimenting with vaping have doubled over two years and more than three times since 2015.
Out of the 2,700 students surveyed by Tobacco Free Living, 1-in-4 middle school students have tried vaping and more than half the number of high school students have tried an e-cigarette at least once.
The numbers come as numbers of patients hospitalized and dying due to vaping related causes continue to rise.
The idea that vaping is a safer solution to smoking is driving the interest in vaping.
“We strongly encourage Louisiana’s educational leadership and policy makers to heed these alarming youth vape statistics,” said Tonia Moore, director of Tobacco Free Living.
“Without regulations for vape products at the state level and addiction counseling at the school and community level for our young people, they will continue to receive misinformation from Big Tobacco and vapor industry influencers that puts their health in immediate jeopardy.”
TFL is also in the process of launching an awareness campaign called “Don’t Get FUULed” which targets youth and young adults. The campaign can be viewed by visiting https://fuul.us/.
