A British report released in July by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) indicates there are apparent benefits for teens associated with e-cigarettes. The report, based on a survey of 2,596 individuals aged 11-17, offers insights into why many youth turn to vape technology over traditional smoking.
The survey was conducted in collaboration with YouGov during February and March 2024.
A shift away from smoking
The report indicates that vaping plays a significant role in diverting young people away from traditional smoking. According to the survey, the majority of youth who have never smoked cigarettes but have used vape products reported doing so out of curiosity. The report says vaping provides an alternative to cigarettes for kids who said they were experimenting or “trying something new.”
The report estimates that 18% of British youth tried vaping this year, down from 20% in 2023, and that 7.2% of youth in the country currently use vape products, down from 7.6% in 2023. While only 5.1% of British youth smoke, the number has increased from just 3.6% in 2023.
By comparison, 10% of U.S. high school students said they used vape products in 2024, down from 14% in 2023, according to reporting by the Associated Press. At the same time, only 2% of U.S. high-schoolers smoke cigarettes today, a huge drop from 35% in the early-2000s, according to a 2023 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
A healthier option
The British report notes that 43% of young vape users believe vaping is less harmful than smoking. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said it supports this view.
Also in the U.S., the American Heart Association has stated that the reduction in American smoking is partly due to the increase in e-cigarette use, and the FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes as less-harmful alternatives for adult smokers.
Despite the increasing evidence that e-cigarettes may be helping the youth trend away from smoking, U.S., policy makers have pushed the vape industry to remove flavored products that are presumed to attract young users. The British survey suggests that flavors are a factor in why young people choose to vape rather than smoke.
"I like the flavors" was cited by 11% of non-smokers who use vaping products. The report says that 59% of young vape users choose fruit flavors.
The British research is part of an annual series initiated in 2013 to track changes in smoking and vaping trends. The research is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, and the Department of Health and Social Care.
