Surgeon General warns against e-cigarettes

INDIANAPOLIS Ind. (WISH) – Now, a desperate warning from one of the nation’s top health officials. Surgeon General Jerome Adams is coming out about what he says in an epidemic of e-cigarette use among teens. He’s coming out in full force to warn parents, teachers and teens about the rise of e-cigarette use. 

It’s only the fourth time in 13 years a Surgeon General has come out with an advisory like this. Over the last year alone, there was a 78 percent increase in the number of young people using e-cig products.

Two years ago tobacco use among teens reached a historic low, that trend has now being reversed with e-cigarette use. 

Adams says the country has seen a doubling of 12th graders who have been using these e-products in one year. When WISH-TV talked to Adams yesterday he said it’s a concern for everyone because nicotine can help lead to other addictions. 

“One of the positives, we have a chance to intervene earlier, it took us a really, really long time to figure things out and get on board with the fact that combustible tobacco and cigarettes are dangerous to our youth,” said Adams. “I’m not going to let that happen on my watch, that we wait decades before we acknowledge the dangers these devices pose to our young people its an option. We want to preserve for adults but something we don’t want to continue to expose our young people to.”

According to Adams, the rise can be attributed to a perfect storm of products. Devices that are small and can be easily hidden and the flavors that entice young kids to try it. Not to mention newer devices provide a bigger hit of nicotine than older models.

Adams wants to see state leaders introduce smoke-free policies and hold retailers accountable with regulations. The best thing Surgeon General Adams suggests we can do right now is for parents to talk to kids about it. Find out if they have been exposed to it and find out what they know.