Vaping use remains about the same during COVID-19…locally – Paducah Sun

A study released by Ohio State University shows the emotional turmoil surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic may cause the number of teenagers vaping to increase.

According to a news release issued by the Ohio State University Medical Center, the global COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to live in relative isolation for more than a year.

As adolescents return to school, public health experts caution parents to pay close attention to signs of tobacco use among teens. While there has been a decline in smoking traditional cigarettes among youth as well as adults, e-cigarette use continues to increase.

Experts express concern about rising rates of dual- and poly-tobacco product use, particularly among adolescents and young adults.

Theodore Wagener, director of the Center for Tobacco Research at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, said the anxiety and stress that accompanies the pandemic cause people to cope through smoking or vaping.

Youth have gone through a rollercoaster of changes during the last year and a half during the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, he said. These dramatic and persistent changes take a toll and can cause anxiety, depression and stress that lead many to cope through smoking.

Tobacco products have become much more widely available with the introduction of alternative combustible devices like electronic cigarettes and waterpipes and research suggests they can be just as addictive as traditional cigarettes. More research is critically needed to put science behind the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations regulation of these products to protect the publics health.

Locally, there has been no noticeable change in vaping use during the pandemic.

Dylan Bond, the manager of The Vape House of Paducah, said he hasnt seen any change in vaping over the last two years.

Its hard to say. We always slow down in the summer months, he said. My theory on that is that people get vapes in the wintertime so they dont have to step outside to smoke.

Its been slow, but I wouldnt say its been more slow than in other summers.

Kelsie McCallister has only worked at Kickin Ash Vapors of Paducah for a couple of months, but said the business has been fairly steady in that time.

As far as customers coming in, its been consistent, she said.

The Paducah Sun attempted to reach out to several local and state experts regarding vaping use but was unsuccessful.

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Vaping use remains about the same during COVID-19...locally - Paducah Sun