U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Tuesday called for action from parents, politicians, and healthcare providers to stem the sharp increase in e-cigarette use among youth.
He said that e-cigarettes should be included in indoor smoking bans. In addition, e-cigarette ad campaigns should not target youth, and officials should take steps to limit adolescents’ access to flavored tobacco products.
Dr. Adams recommends that healthcare providers become familiar with the various types of e-cigarettes, including discreet products like Juul, which resembles a USB flash drive. When screening young people for tobacco use, e-cigarettes should be included, and patients should be informed of the risks from using such devices.
The US surgeon General stated that “We must take aggressive steps to protect our children from these highly potent products that risk exposing a new generation of young people to nicotine. The bad news is that e-cigarette use has become an epidemic among our nation’s young people. However, the good news is that we know what works to effectively protect our kids from all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes. To achieve success, we must work together, aligning and coordinating efforts across both old and new partners at the national, state, and local
levels. Everyone can play an important role in protecting our nation’s young people from the risks of e-cigarettes.”
Read the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory here.
Source: NEJM Journal Watch
