A research article published in the Pediatrics Journal this month demonstrated the impact that flavored e-cigarettes have on adolescents. The researchers surveyed teenagers from 10th to 12th grade in Los Angeles, California and found that those who vaped e-cigarette nontraditional flavors (such as fruit or candy flavors) were found to be more likely to continue vaping 6 months later and take more puffs per vaping than those who solely vape traditional flavored e-cigarettes (such as mint, menthol, or tobacco). These results may be due to teenagers being particularly sensitive to the pleasurable effects of sweets tastes and, therefore, the nontraditional flavors generate a greater appeal and willingness to use again.
Although the results show that adolescents are more willing to participate in e-cigarette/vaping use with non-traditional flavors, the study did have some limitations that the researchers highlighted. The data was collected in 2015 and 2016, which was before the rise of pod devices that have high nicotine concentrations which are popular today. However, the researchers still emphasize that “any regulatory policy that effectively limits youth exposure to flavored e-cigarettes is likely to improve pediatric population health”.
Currently, in the U.S. there are 8 states with an active ban or limit of sales on any flavored vaping products. The FDA also announced this September that they are working on banning all unauthorized non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, including mint and menthol flavors.