Vaping Vs. Smoking: Are E-Cigarettes Harmful? Surgeon General Report Calls E-Cigs Effects Unsafe For Youth

E-cigarettes may be just the latest trend in some people’s eyes, but the surgeon general of the United States sees something much more concerning. He declared the rising use of vaping by young adults to be unsafe on Thursday.

Current surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy oversaw the first ever government report on the health impact of e-cigarette/vaping use among young people, and the results were not promising.

“We know enough right now to say that youth and young adults should not be using e-cigarettes or any other tobacco product, for that matter,” Murthy said in an interview with the Washington Post.

The report notes the skyrocketing usage of vaping among young people, which has tripled among middle and high school students and doubled with young adults ages 18 to 24 since 2011. That increase has made e-cigarettes the most commonly used form of tobacco by youth in the U.S.

There’s a number of factors the surgeon general’s report cites for the increased interest in vaping, including the marketing and presentation of the product. E-cigarettes often have a futuristic feel to them and offer flavored juices that makes smoking more appealing. Nine in 10 young adult e-cigarette users and eight in 10 users ages 12-17 said they use flavored smoking products.

Most e-cigarette companies market their product as safer and less addictive than standard tobacco products, a message that has clearly resonated with young users. According to the surgeon general report, six in 10 teens in the U.S. believe e-cigarettes cause little or only some harm if used sparingly. Nearly 20 percent of young adults believe vaping cause no harm at all.

The surgeon general’s acknowledges in the report the full effects of e-cigarette usage is still unknown, but notes there is enough evidence to suggest America’s youth shouldn’t be using them. Murthy labeled the growing use of the smoking products among young people to be a “major public health concern” that may lead to use of more tobacco products.

There is ongoing debate as to the overall health impact of e-cigarettes. Some have argued the products are safer than standard cigarettes, while others have said they are no better and pose their own safety risks.