According to a recent report by Indiana Public Broadcasting News (IPB News), the usage of e-cigarettes has been on the rise in Indiana in recent years.
The report, led by Claire Fiddian-Green of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, has been released. According to her, e-cigarettes, despite being a new product with ongoing research, have shown concerning trends, as evidenced by recent studies.
Fidian-Green stated that the e-cigarette usage rate in the state of Indiana has increased by 72% from 2016 to 2021, according to our latest data.
Although studies have shown that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes, they still pose harm in many aspects.
E-cigarettes are often believed to be harmless, but this is not the case. In households where e-cigarettes are used, the concentration of nicotine in the air is 2.7 times higher compared to households without tobacco use,” she stated.
The research also recommends further reducing the usage of e-cigarettes, especially among young people. These suggestions include making it harder for young individuals to access both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, increasing the prices of these products, and making flavored options more difficult to obtain.
Fidian Green pointed out that education is a vital component in encouraging everyone to quit smoking. “We need to ensure that we are educating young people and adults about the dangers of e-cigarettes. We need to make people understand that they are not safe. In fact, they can cause harm, and it is best to quit them altogether.
She further stated that the use of e-cigarettes would have economic consequences for all residents of Indiana. “Every individual using e-cigarettes can incur additional health expenses of over $2,000 per year.”
