Summary: A new study from The George Institute for Global Health reveals that young adults in the UK who perceive e-cigarettes as harmful are less likely to use them. The study emphasizes the need for awareness-raising campaigns to highlight the known vaping risks.
Awareness of Vaping Risks Could Decrease E-cigarette Use in Young People
A new study from The George Institute for Global Health reveals that young adults in the UK aged 15 to 30 who perceive vaping as harmful are 40% less likely to use them compared to those who do not consider them harmful. However, only 53% of those using e-cigarettes at least monthly reported having seen warning labels on packaging. The study, published in the Journal of Public Health, is based on a survey of over 1,000 individuals and aims to better understand the attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs around e-cigarettes among this age group.
The study found that about one in five respondents reported currently using e-cigarettes at least monthly, with 90% having used ones containing nicotine. The most common reason for using e-cigarettes was because a friend used them, with 23% of participants who used e-cigarettes at least monthly saying they have three close friends who use e-cigarettes.
The research suggests that peer behavior is a key driver of e-cigarette use, while awareness of the harms of vaping is a deterrent. The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Ana-Catarina Pinho-Gomes, emphasized the need for awareness-raising campaigns aimed at young people to highlight the known risks of e-cigarette use, as well as uncertainty over their long-term health impacts.
The study also highlighted the environmental harms of discarded e-cigarettes, which generate considerable amounts of plastic and electronic waste. Three out of four 15- to 19-year-old vapers surveyed used disposable e-cigarettes, reflecting a widely reported upward trend in the use of disposable devices among teenagers.
Dr. Pinho-Gomes concluded, “The U.K. Government must build on these findings by raising awareness of the potential harms of vaping, both to health and the environment, through public education campaigns and through tighter regulation around packaging and labeling.”
[Source: Medical Xpress]
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