A Chicago City Council member has proposed a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products, including flavored vape juice and cigarettes, due to the link between these products and underage nicotine consumption.

Flavored Vape Juice May Be Enticing Teens to Smoke

Alderman Matt O’Shea of Chicago’s 19th Ward plans to bring his plan to ban these products to the City Council, telling the Chicago Sun Times, “The recent statistics that I saw were alarming — especially when you see the intersection of pulmonary lung issues and COVID-19. It’s time we had this discussion. This is about saving young lives.”

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the popularity of e-cigarettes has triggered an uptick in underage nicotine abuse. In 2011, only about 1.5 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes. In 2019, this percentage was 27.5.

Additionally, almost 70 percent of students who reported using tobacco products reported choosing flavored products. Many tobacco and e-cigarette companies have been criticized by anti-smoking advocates who claim that these retailers may be purposefully marketing nicotine products to children and teens by producing these products in kid-friendly flavors.

Flavored vape juice and cigarettes may be especially enticing to teens and minors, due to flavors such as Mango Cheesecake, Lucky Charms, Watermelon Gummy, I Love Cookies, and Melon Twist.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has also spoken out against these flavored products, calling them a gateway to addiction.

Dangers of Tobacco Use

In addition to dangers including addiction and the development of nicotine-related health conditions, using e-cigarettes or smoking traditional cigarettes may also increase the risk of experiencing complications from COVID-19.

People who smoke or use vape products may be almost 2.5 times more likely to experience serious complications if they contract the infectious virus. As the coronavirus attacks the respiratory system and affects the lungs, people whose lungs are damaged due to smoke or vapor inhalation may experience the side effects of COVID-19 more acutely than those who do not smoke.

Other health conditions related to the use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products include EVALI, or e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury. In 2019, thousands of people across the U.S. became sick with a vaping-related lung condition the CDC eventually named EVALI. Almost 3,000 cases of the condition were reported, including 68 deaths.

Symptoms of the condition include coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. The condition is thought to be related to the inhalation of vitamin E acetate, an additive that is often used to thicken vape juice.

While people of any age who use nicotine products may be more likely to experience health conditions including lung cancer, nicotine addiction, nicotine overdose, or heart disease, teens who smoke may be even more susceptible to these harmful side effects.

Nicotine may affect their still developing brains, leading to long term issues with concentration, learning, and impulse control. Youth nicotine abuse may also harm their lung development. In some cases, teens who have overdosed on nicotine have reported experiencing seizures. At least 35 reports of people experiencing seizures after using e-cigarettes have reported to the FDA between 2010 and early 2019.

It may be easy for teens to accidentally overdose on nicotine while smoking e-cigarettes or vape pens, as these products make it difficult for new smokers to determine how much nicotine they have inhaled. Due to the smooth vapor and fruity flavors of many of these products, underage nicotine users may accidentally over do it. One flavored vape juice cartridge contains approximately the same amount of nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.

Additionally, research into teen nicotine use indicates that many users may not even realize they are consuming nicotine. According to some studies, many teens believe that the e-cigarettes they are smoking only contain flavored vapor. However, most e-cigarette and vape pen companies do not produce nicotine-free vape pods.

If you or your child has suffered from health side effects related to the use of flavored vape juice or other nicotine products, you may be eligible to speak with an experienced attorney about your legal options. Some victims of nicotine side effects may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses or injuries.