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ndianapolis, IN—The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), at the direction of Governor Eric J. Holcomb, announced on Thursday, a three-pronged strategy to reduce vaping among Indiana youth.
Governor Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Kris Box, MD, FACOG, unveiled the plan at Fishers High School among students, educators, administrators, health partners, and local leaders.
According to the 2018 Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey (IYTS), vaping has increased more than 300 percent since 2012, and recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) link vaping to more than 200 severe respiratory illnesses nationwide, including at least 24 in Indiana.
The Surgeon General’s office announced that according to its records, 30 percent of youth who regularly vape also use marijuana.
E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among young people, in part because they come in a variety of flavors, such as mint, candy, fruit, and chocolate. According to the Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among Indiana youth. The 2018 survey included questions about USB-type products, such as the popular JUUL, to help health officials better understand the current use of these products. The data show that while nearly 19 percent of high school youth reported current e-cigarette use, 24 percent reported JUUL use. About 22 percent of both high school and middle school students who currently use e-cigarettes also use traditional cigarettes, the survey found.
