Fewer Island youth are vaping, but 'more work to be done'

A ban on flavoured vapes and an increase in the minimum age for buying tobacco products are being credited with reducing the number of students vaping on P.E.I.

The latest Canadian Student Tobacco, Drug and Alcohol Survey, conducted in 2021 and 2022, found 20 per cent of P.E.I. students in Grades 7-12 had used e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days. 

That's down from 27 per cent in 2019/20, and getting closer to the national average of 17 per cent.

Now P.E.I. officials are looking to implement measures to drive it down even further.

"There's still more work to be done in terms of prevention, education messages for youth in schools, and helping kids… to quit who have already started vaping and want to stop, and are having a difficult time stopping," Dr. David Sabapathy, P.E.I.'s deputy chief public health officer, told Island Morning host Laura Chapin.

Julia Hartley, P.E.I. director of operations for LungNSPEI, points to two significant developments that happened between the times the two surveys were conducted.

"P.E.I. has been a leader in Canada by banning flavoured tobacco products and raising the legal age to buy tobacco products to 21," said Hartley.

The legal age was increased in March 2020, and flavoured products were banned a year later.

Addiction an issue

While happy to see the decrease, Hartley said the rate is still too high: "There's a lot of kids that are actually addicted to these products."

A new question on the survey asked about people's reasons for vaping. About 20 per cent of P.E.I. students who were vaping said they were addicted, and it was the number one reason for using.

"Nicotine addiction is very powerful and can last quite a long time, even after you've stopped," said Sabapathy.

To deal with this problem, the province has introduced a vaping cessation program to its tobacco efforts, aimed at youth in particular. The program includes nicotine replacement therapy, which Sabapathy said has been shown to be effective with tobacco.

Added stress

Second on the list when people were asked why they vaped was to help them relax or relieve tension, at 17 per cent, which Hartley finds particularly problematic.

"Many youth misinterpret the effects of tobacco products as a stress reliever," she said. "Vaping can actually make these symptoms worse. Those that actually do give up vaping actually have better mental health."

The cravings associated with addiction can add to daily stress, with users becoming more focused on when they can vape next, rather that on whatever they are doing at the moment.

Hartley is also concerned about the availability of disposable products. For as little as $10, youth can buy these without having to invest in non-disposable vaping devices.

She would like to see taxes raised on these products, noting that raising costs has been shown to be an effective strategy to keep youth away from harmful products.