South Mississippi doctors weigh in on teen smoking and vaping crisis

November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

News 25’s Rick Gogreve looked into where the teen smoking and vaping crisis stands and how it has changed in recent years.

According to results from the FDA’s National Youth Tobacco Survey, 1.73 million fewer middle and high school students used tobacco products in 2020 compared to 2019.

While the number is dropping significantly, many children are still being affected. Memorial Hospital Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist Dr. Bobby Tullos said, “Prior to the pandemic, there was a huge surge of patients that we would see afflicted with complications with vaping. Once COVID hit, everyone was really concerned with their lung health and I think that may have stymied what we saw with the big surge from the effects of vaping.”

Today more than two million U.S. youth currently use e-cigarettes with one in four using them daily. “Everybody talked about peer pressure. So, you know, I imagine that’s still out there. The allure of it these days is probably a lot greater with the marketing that can done for it.”

Additionally, the National Youth Tobacco Survey continues to show the youth prefer flavored e-cigs instead of non-flavored ones or cigarettes. In 2021, nearly 85 percent of youth users prefer flavors like mint, fruit, or candy. “I mean but if you’re thinking about it as a teenager, what girl is going to want to kiss a guy that has been smoking something like that and has that foul taste on their breath.”

While smoking can increase the risk of lung cancer, many other problems can occur from beginning use at young age such as increased risks for other life-altering diseases. “COPD is a detrimental disease-chronic obstruct pulmonary disease-that is progressive, that leads folks to be administered into the hospital, often times leading people to be on multiple medications to breathe easier.”

If you or anyone you know is looking to give up vaping or smoking call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.