Survey shows less smoking among N.C. teens, more e-cig use

Winston-Salem Journal ^ | Sep 19 '14 | Richard Craver

[Drango]

State health officials said Friday that smoking levels among public high-school and middle-school students reached an historic low rate during 2013.

But they also expressed concern that a small, but increasing, number of students are willing to experiment with alternative tobacco products.

The findings come from the N.C. Youth Tobacco Survey that is conducted every two years. The survey included 4,092 high school students and 3,927 middle school students.

Alternative tobacco products included electronic cigarettes, flavored little cigars, clove cigars, flavored cigarettes, snus, hookahs (also known as water pipes) and roll-your-own cigarettes.

The survey determined that 13.5 percent of high school students in 2013 were current smokers, defined as smoking at least once during a 30-day period. That’s down from 15.5 percent in 2011.

The decline in North Carolina mirrors the most recent National Youth Tobacco Survey, which found 14 percent of high school students in 2012 listed as currently smoking.

Among N.C. middle-schoolers, the smoking rate fell to 2.5 percent from 4.2 percent in 2011. The national rate was 3.5 percent in 2012.

~snip

Current use of e-cigs among high school students rose from 1.7 percent in 2011 to 7.7 percent in 2013.

As a result, the survey determined that 29.7 percent of high school students are current users of a tobacco product.

~snip

[Drango]

As a result, the survey determined that 29.7 percent of high school students are current users of a tobacco product.

Almost 30% of students...sad.

[Drew68]

This is troubling. With more and more young people eschewing cigarettes in favor of vaping, how are all those programs funded by tobacco taxes going to survive?

Think of the children!

[rktman]

Non-starters. I always wondered how “they” would fund this crap with decreasing revenues.

[jjsheridan5]

Almost 30% of students...sad.

And about 20% of all freepers buy into the garbage you peddle. Even sadder.

By the way, it is referred to as a "tobacco" product. If I vape 0% nicotine liquid, what makes it a "tobacco" product? The GRAS flavorings (found just about everywhere)? The propylene glycol (found in air fresheners, toothpaste, eye drops, inhalers, and many food products)? Given that these are the only two ingredients used, please select either the flavorings, or the glycol.

For that matter, even with nicotine, why is it referred to as a tobacco product? Why not, "a tomato product"? Or, "an eggplant product"?

[rockvillem]

Yeah - the article jumbles e-cigs in with cigars, snus, etc.

Referring to an e-cig as a “tobacco” product is meant to be a loaded reference.

Wouldn’t an honest look at this refer to the underlying substance - nicotine - and then evaluate the health issues? Negative and positive.

Naaaahhhh . . . .

[MrEdd]

Yes.

It is truly sad that someone came up with a product to help people quit cigarettes that is so effective that even adolescents with their low willpower and lack of discipline can now quit.

I can see how some people would be saddened by that.

A whole customer base fading away, and with no government mandate.

Evil products, evil capitalism, Yada Yada yada.

[jonathonandjennifer]

Just watched a movie last night with George Raft where he and another actor were talking and smoking in an office building. Also remember a couple of girls in high school, who wanted to lose weight, only had a popsicle for lunch, and no one cared. Freedom was wonderful while we had it

[bakeneko]

Absolutely correct.

Watch this meme to expand in MSM over the next months:

E-cig = tobacco.

[Drango]

E-cig = drug delivery device

[odds]

That is very sad.