Published On: Thu, Feb 20th, 2020

Vaping In Florida: Is Switching From Cigarettes A Good Idea?

Authorities and various organizations in Florida dedicate a lot of resources to create smoke-free space for everybody. Florida is among the first fifteen states with the lowest smoking rates in the country. While the efforts are mainly focused on preventing addiction and reducing the exposure of non-smokers, numerous people also quit smoking successfully to improve their health. Some put nicotine away for good; others substitute conventional cigarettes with less harmful vaporizers from IQOS Heets Dubai. Vaping is incredibly widespread in Florida, but it might not be a good thing.

Smoking And Vaping Statistics In Florida

In 2017, the rate of tobacco smoking among the adult population in Florida constituted 16.1%. Over the following years, smoking rates have been steadily dropping. Florida is currently one of the healthier states, with only about 14.5% of adults smoking. Although it’s a significant improvement, tobacco still causes approximately 9,400 deaths per year in Florida alone. Nationwide, more than 480,000 people die annually due to various preventable conditions triggered by tobacco use.

Vaping is a relatively new form of ingesting nicotine that started climbing the trend ladder around 2017. The idea of vaporizers lies mainly in stylishness and harm reduction. These throwaway vapes look sleek and modern, attractively technological, unlike conventional cigarettes, are. Vaping is also much safer for the health of both smokers and bystanders. The combination of these qualities allows businesses to bloom, and manufacturers compete for being the best online vape store. Those who prefer smoking cigars, on the other hand, may visit an Online Cigar Shop to order their favorite brands.

Youth Vaping Becomes Alarming

Vaping can be a good thing when adults use it to reduce the influence of smoking on their life and the health of people around them. As trendy devices, however, vapes are incredibly popular among the younger generation. In Florida, people under the age of 18 are prohibited from buying and using any vaping products. Still, the rates of vaping among minors were at a disturbing 25% mark in 2018. This figure demonstrates a 58% increase in the number of high school students who vape regularly compared to the year before that. With the adult vaping rate of 4%, this tendency is becoming more and more hazardous to public health in Florida.

The problem partially stems from the marketing that any given online vape store readily adopts. Vaporizers are promoted by young models in stylish clothing, defining the look for young adults and teenagers. Rising clouds of dense milk-white vapor make great shots in marketing video materials and on YouTube. Simply put, vaporizers are cool. The modern look, coupled with the idea of going digital in everything – even smoking – produces a device that’s incredibly attractive to teens.

Another factor that contributes to high youth vaping rates is availability. Technically, it is illegal in Florida to sell vaporizers and their components to minors. Realistically, however, it is hardly impossible for high school students to buy vape juice online. Vaping laws differ by state, and there are vaporizer cartridges that don’t contain any nicotine, making it easier to find loopholes for both marketing and selling. Besides, some websites belonging to small businesses might not have sufficient authentication process, neglecting to demand an ID from customers who purchase their products online.

Vaping is particularly hazardous for the youth because it causes addiction in non-smokers. Nicotine, contained in the vast majority of vape liquids, produces physical dependence that frequently leads teenagers to switch to smoking later in life. Besides addiction, vaping also pose physical health risks. Nicotine is known to interfere with healthy brain development in people younger than 25. The drug also affects concentration, memory, and the ability to learn quickly.

Local authorities and non-profit organizations in Florida aim to control the vaping epidemic by restricting access to vaping products and promoting education on the matter. The primary tool to discourage teenage vaping is spreading knowledge about its risks and dispelling the glamour that surrounds it. Florida is also considering raising the minimum age to buy vaping products from 18 to 21 years legally.

Should Smokers Switch To Vaping?

The attitudes towards vaping still differ significantly today. At the beginning of the trend, the majority was incredibly skeptical about the alleged safety of e-cigarettes. Any online vape shop had to brave the storm of denouncement after marketing their products as more healthy alternatives to smoking. Although now the public stance is closer to neutral, doubts and concerns remain.

Vaporizers differ from conventional cigarettes in one significant way: there is no combustion. An e-cigarette consists of a battery, a heating coil, and a cartridge holding the chosen e-liquid. When the coil heats up, the liquid begins converting into vapor for inhalation, although it never reaches the stage of burning. As a result, the produced vapor is much cleaner than cigarette smoke, as it only contains the original components of the liquid. E-liquids can have different amounts of nicotine and be nicotine free, allowing people to reduce their consumption of the drug gradually.

Most states in the U.S. approach vaping and smoking in the same way. Various other countries, however, strive to research the potential benefits of vaping and incorporate it as an aid for those wanting to quit smoking. Researchers from the United Kingdom report that thousands of people quit smoking successfully after switching to vaping for a while. The U.K. also highlights that vaporizers are approximately 95% less dangerous than combustible cigarettes, both to vapers and bystanders.

Florida Vaping Statistics, Tendencies, And Prevention Methods

Compared to other U.S. states, Florida is on the healthier side in terms of smoking. Vaping is also not particularly popular among the adults, as only 4% of the population choose e-cigarettes instead of their combustible counterparts. High school students and other minors, however, tend to find vaping increasingly attractive. Youth vaping in Florida is a significant issue that has the potential to encourage teenagers to smoke later in life. Marketing that targets teenagers and the availability of products at a vape shop online are two most significant contributors to underage vaping in Florida. When used by adults, however, vaping can reduce the harm from smoking significantly and help people quit cigarettes for good.

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