Commentary: Flavored tobacco is fueling youth addition – Roanoke Times

As a physician, chairman at-large of the Prince William County School Board and chairman of the University of Virginia Health System Board, I am deeply committed to the health and well-being of Virginia's youth. I urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to intensify its efforts in curbing the sale of illegal, flavored disposable e-cigarettes to children, a pressing issue that demands immediate attention. Youth vaping has evolved into a pervasive problem, evident in school bathrooms where discarded disposable e-cigarettes, not cigarette butts, are routinely discovered.

I have seen the damage firsthand. Students well known to me have been seduced by flavored e-cigarette products, have become addicted to vaping tobacco and then drugs like fentanyl.

I have seen this addiction wreak havoc on families and result in student deaths from overdosing on drugs they vaped. Parents, teachers and communities are facing the growing, uncontrolled spread of students vaping products that are either unsafe, unregulated or illicit.

Many of these children were attracted to this habit by flavored tobacco products marketed toward them. These addictions do not discriminate and are seen in every school and among younger and younger students across the commonwealth every year.

A 2020 federal rule fell short by only applying to pod-based e-cigarettes, allowing disposable e-cigarette makers to flood the market with flavored products designed to entice children. Since 2020, the number of unique disposable products has surged by an alarming 1,500%, resulting in nearly 6,000 products illegally sold in various kid-friendly flavors, easily accessible in stores.

The link between flavors and the rise in youth smoking is unmistakable. Fruity and sweet flavors like Tyson Vape Lush Lime, Hulk Hogan Hulkmania Cotton Candy and Death Row by Snoop Dogg Blue Razz dominate disposable vape offerings, playing a crucial role in the popularity of these products among youth. A study involving middle and high school students revealed that 43% of young e-cigarette users tried them because of appealing flavors

If we are to make a meaningful impact on youth vaping rates, we must address this issue at its core. A recent study by the Center for Tobacco Research at Ohio State Universitys Wexner Medical Center demonstrated that if sweet flavors were banned, 39% of respondents aged 14 to 21 who used e-cigarettes daily would cease using them. This figure skyrocketed to a staggering 71% if only tobacco-flavored options remained, emphasizing the urgent need for a ban on these perilous products.

These flavored disposable e-cigarettes are not just enticing; they pose serious health risks to our children. When a child picks up a disposable e-cigarette, they unknowingly expose themselves to more nicotine than an entire carton of cigarettes.

Designed to be highly addictive, with some products offering over 5,000 puffs, children are inadvertently causing damage to their lungs, hearts and brains. While the ban on traditional flavored e-cigarettes was a commendable step forward, the loophole allowing the sale of flavored disposable products must be closed.

Each day, these products trap kids in the cycle of nicotine addiction, jeopardizing their health and future. I implore the FDA to take swift and resolute action to protect our youth and ensure a healthier future for generations to come. This effort will go far beyond slowing tobacco vaping by also helping close the gateway to other harmful substances and drugs.

We cannot look back at this time and say we shouldve done more to stop this epidemic of tobacco and drugs. We cannot wait for more research to be done. The current research is crystal clear. The time to act is now.

Dr. Babur Lateef is chair at-large of the Prince William County School Board and chair of the University of Virginia Health System Board, where he is a member of the Board of Visitors. Contact him at bblateef@gmail.com.

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Commentary: Flavored tobacco is fueling youth addition - Roanoke Times