Misguided Efforts by Maine Lawmakers Wont Address Declining Youth Tobacco and Vape Use

Lindsey Stroud

Lawmakers in the Pine Tree State have now spent three years debating on whether to ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vapor products to protect Maine’s children. New data has proven their efforts unnecessary. According to recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), youth use of traditional tobacco products is at record lows and youth vaping has decreased significantly since 2019. Moreover, banning flavored tobacco and vapor products will do nothing to address a growing (and deadly) mental health crisis among Maine (and the nation’s) youth.

Every other year the CDC conducts the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which examines various student behaviors including tobacco and vapor product use. In 2021, according to the YRBS, only 17.7 percent of Maine highschoolers reported ever trying a combustible cigarette and 4.3 percent reported current cigarette use (defined as having used the product on at least one occasion in the 30 days prior). Further, only 2.3 percent reported current use of smokeless tobacco products, while 2.7 percent reported currently using cigars. The YRBS first monitored Maine high school cigarette use in 1995 — when more than one-third (37.8 percent) of students were currently smoking combustible cigarettes. Between 1995 and 2021, current smoking rates decreased by 88.6 percent. Even better, between 2019 and 2021, smoking declined 32.8 percent.

As youth use of traditional tobacco products has declined in Maine and the rest of the country, the introduction and subsequent use of novel products including e-cigarettes has caused some alarm. As was the case nationally, in Maine, it appears youth vaping peaked in 2019 when nearly half (46.3 percent) of high school students in the state had reported ever trying a vapor product and nearly one-third (30.2 percent) were then-currently using e-cigarettes.

Between 2019 and 2021, ever-use of vapor products declined by 31.5 percent to less than one-third (31.7 percent) reporting trying e-cigarettes. Further, in 2021, less than one-fifth (17.5 percent) of Maine high school students reported current use of e-cigarettes, which was a 42.1 percent decline from 2019.

Despite the good news on the tobacco front, it’s alarming that the percentage of Maine high school students reporting feeling sad or having suicidal thoughts is increasing. In 2021, more than one-third of Maine highschoolers reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, while over one-fifth (20.2 percent) reported having seriously considered attempting suicide.

Lawmakers in the Pine Tree State should pay attention to this rather than banning flavored tobacco products as data from the CDC indicate youth are overwhelmingly self-medicating with e-cigarettes to treat mental health issues. If lawmakers are concerned about youth vaping, they should tackle the root of the problem, not just an apparent symptom.

According to the CDC’s National Youth Tobacco Survey, in 2021, among U.S. middle and high school students who were currently use e-cigarettes, 43.4 percent reported using them because they felt anxious, stressed and/or depressed. By contrast, only 13.2 percent reported using them because they were available in flavors.

Unfortunately, youth in Maine (and nationwide) are being exposed to substances far more deadly than nicotine. Last November, Republican Senator Susan Collins noted how teens were being impacted by the increasing overdose crisis, remarking that in 2022, “a Maine middle school student with no history of drug abuse died from suspected fentanyl poisoning.”

According to the CDC, between 2019 and 2021, drug overdose deaths among Americans aged 10 to 19 years old increased by 109 percent. Over 1,800 youth people died during a two-year period. Comparatively, nationally the percentage of teens vaping declined by 45 percent during the same time.

While it is laudable to address youth use of any age-restricted product, banning flavors is an ineffective policy to thwart youth vaping and substance use. Maine lawmakers should examine the real reasons why youths are using, address a growing mental health crisis, and target substances far worse than flavored nicotine.

Originally published in Medium.