The number of Alaska high schoolers who say they’ve used vapes or e-cigarettes recently is declining, according to the latest data from the Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey shows 26% of highschoolers had vaped in the last thirty days in 2019. By 2023, that figure dropped significantly, to about 17%.
Christy Knight, who heads the tobacco program of the state’s Division of Public Health, said the work the state has done to educate teens about the dangers of vaping is likely helping.
“We did see an improvement in perceptions of harm in 2023 which demonstrates that our education is indeed working, and that teens are more aware of how these products can harm their health,” Knight said.
According to the survey, more highschoolers think vaping everyday can have serious consequences for their health. More than 40% of high schoolers reported believing that in 2023, up from 27% in 2019.
Nicotine vape juice, or e-liquid, may seem like it's made of water vapor, but Knight said they’re full of aerosolized chemicals and metals.
“E-cigarettes include ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs,” she said. “Some have flavorants such as diacetyl, which is a chemical that has been linked to serious lung disease, volatile organic compounds such as benzene, which is found in car exhaust, and then heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.”
Scientists don’t yet have a full understanding of how harmful those chemicals and metals are, but research links vaping to heart and lung disease and asthma.
Nationally rates of teen vaping are also high, according to the former health and human services secretary, Alex Azar.
“The United States has never seen an epidemic of substance use arise as quickly as our current epidemic of youth use of e-cigarettes” he said in a Food and Drug Administration news release in 2020. In that release, the FDA announced restrictions on fruity flavors that appeal to kids.
Knight said the rate of high schoolers in Alaska who report vaping recently is still too high, and she said the rate of teens vaping frequently has gone up slightly. She said it’s especially important to educate this age group about vaping.
“Youth are particularly vulnerable to the health risks of e-cigarettes because their brains are still developing until the age of 25,” Knight said. “So, nicotine, in general, provides a significant risk for teens as that can impact their learning, memory and attention.”
High schoolers also continue to consume fewer cigarettes, cigars, Iq'mik and smokeless tobacco than in years before.
You can get help quitting nicotine by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW or texting READY to 34191.
