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Reference: http://www.khq.com/story/27645719/concerns-over-rising-teen-e-cigarette-use
In a state where pot is legal, the e-cig is the new item to be demonized; not pot??? Go figure. The article, posted locally by KHQ in Spokane, WA, States that only 17% of students admit to using an e-cig within the last 30 days. Assumedly, the 17% of the student body discussed are seniors and younger than 18. However, the article does not make this clear. This, in my opinion, does pose the question of, “Just what percentage of high school seniors are 18 years of age and legally able to make the decision to vape?” Also left out of the discussed survey data is the age break down of the surveyed. If 100% of the senior students surveyed were 18 (the legal age to vape), then the survey is defunct by the way in which it was conducted. It also fails to state how many of these students were smokers prior to trying vaping.
It then states that the number of students that actually are smoking cigarettes is down. However, it then continues to state that e-cigs are a gateway to analog cigarettes. Wait, WTF????? If vaping is the assumed cause for the reduction of cigarette use in teens 17-18 years of age, just how do they justify the same segment to then progress to real cigarettes? Isn’t it implied, and then actually stated by direct quote in the article, that e-cigs are the reason for the reduction of traditional tobacco use? How the hell do they think that their premise of “gateway” make sense, if all data within the study and article directly point to the exact opposite? I could understand a statement that vaping has influenced a resurgence of nicotine use in the surveyed population segment, but even then, the data does not support this premise.
The fact is, nicotine use in the high school populace is down within the last 10 years. Of that reduced segment, traditional carcinogenic tobacco use is down which used to account for 100% of that segment. All pointing to the fact that, just possibly, traditional cigarettes are a gateway to e-cigs (a healthier alternative) instead of the other way around. For the last 100 years, there has always been a minority of high school students that have used tobacco products (I being one of them 30+ years ago). If vaping has influenced this reduction in any positive way, then I say GOOD! That is more than all the education and tobacco cessation programs, introduced into the school system, combined have been able to accomplish over the last 20 years. Now, I am not a proponent of underage vaping by ANY child under 18, but I can still wave the BULLSHIT flag at the premise of this article!
The article then throws out the same old demonization line of flavors, and now colors, are the influence that drives marketing to kids. Absurd! Even as old as I am (I remember when dirt was a concept!), flavors and colors are important to me as a vaporer. No one ever demonizes the beer when it is provided to a minor by an adult; we demonize the ADULT for providing the beer to the minor! However, with e-cigs, it must be the e-cigs fault, right???? Again, FREAKING ABSURD!
In a state where pot is legal, the e-cig is the new item to be demonized; not pot??? Go figure. The article, posted locally by KHQ in Spokane, WA, States that only 17% of students admit to using an e-cig within the last 30 days. Assumedly, the 17% of the student body discussed are seniors and younger than 18. However, the article does not make this clear. This, in my opinion, does pose the question of, “Just what percentage of high school seniors are 18 years of age and legally able to make the decision to vape?” Also left out of the discussed survey data is the age break down of the surveyed. If 100% of the senior students surveyed were 18 (the legal age to vape), then the survey is defunct by the way in which it was conducted. It also fails to state how many of these students were smokers prior to trying vaping.
It then states that the number of students that actually are smoking cigarettes is down. However, it then continues to state that e-cigs are a gateway to analog cigarettes. Wait, WTF????? If vaping is the assumed cause for the reduction of cigarette use in teens 17-18 years of age, just how do they justify the same segment to then progress to real cigarettes? Isn’t it implied, and then actually stated by direct quote in the article, that e-cigs are the reason for the reduction of traditional tobacco use? How the hell do they think that their premise of “gateway” make sense, if all data within the study and article directly point to the exact opposite? I could understand a statement that vaping has influenced a resurgence of nicotine use in the surveyed population segment, but even then, the data does not support this premise.
The fact is, nicotine use in the high school populace is down within the last 10 years. Of that reduced segment, traditional carcinogenic tobacco use is down which used to account for 100% of that segment. All pointing to the fact that, just possibly, traditional cigarettes are a gateway to e-cigs (a healthier alternative) instead of the other way around. For the last 100 years, there has always been a minority of high school students that have used tobacco products (I being one of them 30+ years ago). If vaping has influenced this reduction in any positive way, then I say GOOD! That is more than all the education and tobacco cessation programs, introduced into the school system, combined have been able to accomplish over the last 20 years. Now, I am not a proponent of underage vaping by ANY child under 18, but I can still wave the BULLSHIT flag at the premise of this article!
The article then throws out the same old demonization line of flavors, and now colors, are the influence that drives marketing to kids. Absurd! Even as old as I am (I remember when dirt was a concept!), flavors and colors are important to me as a vaporer. No one ever demonizes the beer when it is provided to a minor by an adult; we demonize the ADULT for providing the beer to the minor! However, with e-cigs, it must be the e-cigs fault, right???? Again, FREAKING ABSURD!