Context:

The new-age gateway devices like e-cigarettes, vaping pens, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), heat-not-burn (HNB) devices, and other heated tobacco products (HTPs), while initially portrayed as tools to help quit smoking, these devices are now contributing to a public health crisis by causing significant physical harm and affecting the mental well-being of children.

A New Pandemic

Youth Vaping and Addiction

Instead of assisting people in quitting tobacco, manufacturers have identified a new and lucrative market — children. This shift has led to a surge in youth vaping, creating what some experts refer to as a new pandemic. For instance, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, in 2023, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the United States. An alarming 2.1 million students (7.7%) reported using e-cigarettes, including 5,50,000 (4.6%) middle school students. These products are now hooking a new generation on nicotine, exposing them to potentially severe long-term health consequences.

Targeted Marketing

Children are being drawn into using e-cigarettes and vaping devices through targeted marketing efforts, including the promotion of enticing flavours such as strawberry, cotton candy, pop rocks, and lemonade. In addition to these predatory marketing tactics, the growing mental health challenges among children, coupled with the negative effects of excessive technology use, are pushing them towards these devices.

Psychological Factors

Early Susceptibility
Children are increasingly vulnerable to new-age devices from a younger age. Previously an adolescent concern, the issue now affects children as young as 10. The most at-risk age group remains 10 to 20 years old, a demographic that manufacturers target with appealing advertising and enticing vaping flavours.

Social Pressures
The colourful imagery and promises of happiness associated with these products make them particularly attractive to children. In their desire to fit in, many children prioritize peer preferences over their own well-being, leading them to experiment with vaping. Those who vape often experience feelings of loneliness and social isolation, exacerbating the mental health risks.

Gateway to Physical and Mental Health Risks

Physical Impacts
The harmful physical effects of these devices, such as lung damage and the spread of e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI), are well-documented. However, the mental health impact of these new-age gateway devices also requires attention.

E-cigarettes have a detrimental impact on the cardiovascular system, raising the risk of heart attacks. They also compromise the function of respiratory immune cells and damage the airways, similar to the effects of cigarette smoking, contributing to serious respiratory conditions like asthma. Additionally, the liquid in e-cigarettes contains carcinogenic substances, such as nitrosamines.

Mental Health Concerns
The Australian Institute of Family Studies has found that vaping can have negative effects on mental health. With the rising popularity of e-cigarettes worldwide, these devices are linked to depressive symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress, and even suicide-related behaviours among adolescents. Key risk factors include friends’ positive attitudes towards vaping and parental smoking.

Addiction and Its Grip on Young Minds

Nicotine’s Impact on Adolescents
E-cigarettes are highly addictive, particularly for individuals under the age of 25. This is a critical developmental period when the brain is especially vulnerable to structural and chemical changes caused by nicotine addiction. Once established, this addiction increases the likelihood of developing other substance use disorders later in life, creating a dangerous cycle.

What’s Inside These Devices
A 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open found that more adolescent e-cigarette users reported using their first tobacco product within five minutes of waking, compared to users of traditional cigarettes and other tobacco products. This underscores the strong hold that nicotine addiction has on young users.

The Engineering of Addiction

Nicotine Delivery in E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes are meticulously designed to create and sustain addiction. Post-2015 models introduced more efficient nicotine delivery systems. The addition of benzoic acid to the nicotine e-liquid produces protonated nicotine, which enhances its addictive potential by making it easier to inhale large amounts. This innovation has made it possible for users to consume levels of nicotine that are difficult to achieve with traditional cigarettes.

A Gateway to Substance Abuse
These new-age devices are increasingly being used to experiment with harder substances such as cannabis, cocaine, and heroin. Many children, teenagers, and even parents mistakenly believe that vaping involves only harmless water vapour and pleasant flavours. In reality, these devices can lead to a lifetime of substance abuse issues.

Comprehensive Approach to Addressing New Gateway Devices

• Comprehensive Legislation and Regulation: Strengthen regulations on e-cigarettes, enforce stricter age limits, ban flavoured products, and restrict advertising, especially to minors.
• Education and Awareness Campaigns: Launch public health campaigns, integrate tobacco education in schools, and train healthcare providers to address vaping issues.
• Research and Evidence-Based Policies: Support research on long-term health effects and create policies based on the latest scientific evidence.
• Community-Based Interventions: Develop youth programs to promote healthy choices and build partnerships between schools, healthcare providers, and community groups to combat vaping.
• International Cooperation: Work towards establishing international standards and regulations for e-cigarettes and vaping products. Strengthen cross-border cooperation to combat the illegal trade and distribution of these devices.
• Treatment and Support Services: Expand access to addiction treatment programs that specialise in nicotine dependence. Provide mental health support services for individuals struggling with vaping-related issues.

Conclusion

While initially portrayed as healthier alternatives to smoking and as aids in quitting tobacco, these new-age gateway devices are now causing a public health crisis among young people. Their targeted marketing, coupled with their highly addictive nature, has led to an increase in youth vaping, putting both the physical and mental health of children at significant risk. Without proper intervention and regulation, the consequences of this new pandemic could be devastating for future generations.

Source: The Hindu