UNDATED (WSAU) — A new report shows that while the number of youth smoking traditional cigarettes is going down, the number of youths using e-cigarettes continues to go up and it may have something to do with the flavors tobacco companies continue to produce.
Vince Willmore, Vice President of Communications for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, says the new flavors being produced are specifically aimed for children.
“(The tobacco company’s) latest strategy is to market e-cigarettes and cigars in literally thousands of flavors, including many flavors that appeal to kids like cotton candy, and gummy bear, and mint chocolate chip,” said Willmore.
Willmore says there’s a ban on candy-flavored cigarettes and he would like to see that ban extended.
“Well, a 2009 law banned candy-flavored cigarettes but that same law didn’t apply to other tobacco products,” he said. “We’d like to see the Food and Drug Administration apply a similar ban on all flavored tobacco products.”
Currently, in Wisconsin, about 13% of high school students say they use e-cigarettes compared to 8% who claim to use traditional cigarettes. Willmore says the problem with youth tobacco use isn’t just limited to traditional cigarettes anymore.