Game over - "E-cigarette use doubles among U.S. teens"

[ScottBrooks]

From USA Today:

"The CDC survey comes as the federal government is expected to announce, as early as October, its plan to regulate these battery-powered devices as tobacco products."

http:// www. usatoday. com/story/ news/nation/ 2013/09/05/e-cigarette-use-doubles-among-us-teens/2768155/

Time to stock up!

 

[retired1]

Moved to Media and General News

 

[Vocalek]

And what are the actual numbers? From the CDC's report itself:

During 2011–2012, among all students in grades 6–12, ever e-cigarette use increased from 3.3% to 6.8% (p<0.05) (Figure); current e-cigarette use increased from 1.1% to 2.1% (p<0.05), and current use of both e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes increased from 0.8% to 1.6% (p<0.05). In 2012, among ever e-cigarette users, 9.3% reported never smoking conventional cigarettes; among current e-cigarette users, 76.3% reported current conventional cigarette smoking.

Doubling from 1.2 to 2.1% kind of reminds me of the claim of NRTs that they double your chances of quitting. Sounds impressive until you find out that without NRT you chances of quitting are only 3%.

Compare to the adult figures:

In 2010, overall awareness of e-cigarettes was 38.5% (mail survey) and 40.9% (web survey); in 2011, awareness was 57.9% (web survey). Ever use of e-cigarettes among all respondents was 2.1% in the 2010 mail survey, 3.3% in the 2010 web survey, and 6.2% in the 2011 web survey. Ever use of e-cigarettes was significantly higher among current smokers compared with both former and never-smokers, irrespective of survey method or year.

Awareness and Ever Use of Electronic Cigarettes Among U.S. Adults, 2010

It's difficult to do an exact comparison because different questions were asked.

And then, there is the voice of reason: Kids Are Trying E-Cigarettes. Everybody Panic! - Hit & Run : Reason.com

The CDC (in its delightfully named Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) refers to use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the last 30 days as "current" use, which makes it sound like these kids are regular users. But there's a reason you don't see kids flashing their e-cigs on every street corner and constantly popping in to 7-11 to buy new cartridges of chocolate-flavored nicotine: Those figures are capturing a lot of teen experimentation, not necessarily addiction.

With less than 3 percent of kids copping to vaping in the last 30 days, it's safe to assume that the daily use figure is vanishingly small. (The CDC's press office says they did not ask questions about daily use in the survey.)
Which makes this quote from CDC Director Tom Frieden sound a little hysterical:

"The increased use of e-cigarettes by teens is deeply troubling....Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. Many teens who start with e-cigarettes may be condemned to struggling with a lifelong addiction to nicotine and conventional cigarettes."
​

The news that about 3 percent of teens took a puff from an e-cigarette this month is not exactly a harbinger of the return of the days of smoke-filled rooms, twitchy cigarette cravings, and rampant lung cancer.

The question is worded something like this: Did you smoke (even one puff) during the last 30 days?
A "yes" answer categorizes you as a "current smoker."

 

[Maggiemw]

I love misleading titles like that article. Just what is "doubles"? Did the number of users go from 1 to 2?

 

[AgentAnia]

I have this image in my head that there's a full-time government position (perhaps one each in FDA, NIH, and CDC) with a job title of "Statistics Spinner." There is an 87.3% probability that this is true.

ETA: Reran the figures. Probability is actually 94.8%.

 

[Joeyjoe]

Obviously the gears are in motion..this is disgusting propaganda..wasn't sure if i should try and stock up on nic..seeing as how i'm in Canada but quite sure "Health Canada" will follow FDA lead on this. BUT I am very happy to see the backlash these articles are generating from vapors..

 

[gayhalo]

Is that your dog in your avatar. I am a breeder of Cavaliers in the UK.

 

[Uma]

I think you're all right on the money.

 

[Joeyjoe]

Is that your dog in your avatar. I am a breeder of Cavaliers in the UK.

Yes, that's my boy Rocky Racoon..He's 15 pounds of love wrapped in fur ..

 

[gayhalo]

Sorry everyone else.
This is one of our boys Zak

 

[Pstarsr]

There needs to be regulation requiring age limits. Funny thing is all the sites I buy from ask you birthday info before even viewing. But we all know that doesn't stop much.

Regulation is coming on the nicotine content. I have no doubt

The article is like every other, small amount if info mostly misrepresented as something frightening


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Which doesn't work 50% of the time

 

[AZHIGHWAYZ]

Back to the topic

You know what's even more disgusting...not to be outdone by a scoop, the other media outlets are now posting their tripe to catch up.

What gets me is that they claim the e-cig industry is using celebrities like Stephen Dorf, Jenny Mcarthy, and Courtney Love to target teens into thinking it's cool. I could almost guarantee that 90% of TEENS don't have a damn clue who those celebrities are or that they are even celebrities for that matter.

 

[tommy2bad]

Good dissection of this tripe by Brad Rodu here;
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/irresponsible-e-cigarette-theatrics.html

 

[TyPie]

I find the timing of the CDC's "study" (I use the term very LOOSELY) is rather curious, dontcha think? (wink, wink.....the fix appears to be IN).

Do you think that the CDC and the FDA talk among themselves?

Edited to add: The tone and timing of these articles are just pathetic.
OMG!!! How bloody SHOCKING!!!
(I don't think anyone in the world would argue that e-cigs sales should be restricted to adults. Just as analogs are right now.)

 

[vjc0628]

Back to the topic

You know what's even more disgusting...not to be outdone by a scoop, the other media outlets are now posting their tripe to catch up.

What gets me is that they claim the e-cig industry is using celebrities like Stephen Dorf, Jenny Mcarthy, and Courtney Love to target teens into thinking it's cool. I could almost guarantee that 90% of TEENS don't have a damn clue who those celebrities are or that they are even celebrities for that matter.

I would guarantee those kids are not getting it online as much as they would like you to believe they are impulsive and I would bet any amount of money there getting those ones you see in the corner shop

moreover in the article you have listed I looked at the video you see them asking a doctor and others questions to show eciggs might be safe and give the stern I don't know as if that's proof

even worse I see a lot of stuff like njoy and blue cigg actually pushing for these regs
they sell there stuff in store they have big marketing budgets and are just trying to get the competition out of the way

Its a joke but I think we don't have a chance when the bigger ecigg companies are against us
and they get away with this kind of propaganda making accusations with no proof

 

[e-pipeman]

At the end of the day the problem is money - big money - the money gained from tobacco tax and from NRT products.

There's a lot of hoop-la about government caring about our health. If that was the case tobacco would be banned.

Sadly this is all about money.

 

[vjc0628]

At the end of the day the problem is money - big money - the money gained from tobacco tax and from NRT products.

There's a lot of hoop-la about government caring about our health. If that was the case tobacco would be banned.

Sadly this is all about money.

exactly such a joke it just bothers me that people watch this stuff on the news
and take is truth with no proof so swayed
not just with this but with everything

 

[AgentAnia]

Good dissection of this tripe by Brad Rodu here;
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/irresponsible-e-cigarette-theatrics.html

Thanks for posting this.

 

[ElConquistador]

What this quote should say is “After we're finished with our e-cigarette regulations, many teens may be condemned to struggling with a lifelong addiction to conventional cigarettes.”

 

[2coils]

Obviously the gears are in motion..this is disgusting propaganda..wasn't sure if i should try and stock up on nic..seeing as how i'm in Canada but quite sure "Health Canada" will follow FDA lead on this. BUT I am very happy to see the backlash these articles are generating from vapors..

The timing of this latest "survey" is suspect to say the least, as October is right around the corner. You are right about the backlash from vapers. Seems that since the "leak" reported by WSJ, in regard to the possible online ban, the media and legislative forum has been filled with ECF members. More so than I've see since joining. Looks like word is getting out and vapers are reacting!