By Anne Flaherty | ABC News |
The U.S. surgeon general is warning against the use of e-cigarettes, declaring Tuesday that any “use among young people is unsafe” and telling parents to be on the lookout for vaping devices that look like computer flash drives.
It’s a considerably sterner and more specific warning than in 2016, when the same federal office identified vaping as an emerging public health concern. Since then, studies have shown a sharp uptick among young people using the devices and companies that sell the liquid nicotine in flavors that appeal to teens.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, known as the “nation’s doctor,” said of particular concern is the availability of new products, including ones shaped like a USB flash drive. The office has released photos of what the devices look like as a resource to parents.
One such device made by the company JUUL saw a 600 percent surge in sales in recent years, according to Adams. And a typical JUUL cartridge, or “pod,” contains about as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes, his office stated.
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