VOA慢速英语--Teen Vaping on the Rise in US, Canada

 

A new study says more American and Canadian teenagers are vaping than ever before. Vapes are electronic devices that heat liquid into a cloud of vapor¹ that users inhale². Most users vape with a liquid that includes the drug nicotine³, several other chemicals and flavoring.

The researchers examined data on smoking and vaping by young people in Canada, England and the U.S. They found that between 2017 and 2018, the number of 16- to 19-year-olds who reported vaping in the past 30 days rose by almost 50% in the U.S. The number almost doubled in Canada.

Britain saw little change in vaping numbers.

Researchers say the availability of vapes with more nicotine may be responsible for increased usage.

David Hammond, with the University of Waterloo in Canada, led the study. He said in an email that “2018 marked the point at which new vaping technology started to take over the market, led by JUUL.”

JUUL vapes went on the market in 2015. The researchers noted⁴ that the company now commands more than half the vape market. JUUL became available in Britain in July 2018 and in Canada in September 2018.

Teen use of JUUL vapes increased in all three countries during the study period. The percentage of U.S. teens who reported using JUUL products regularly between 2017 and 2018 increased from 1% to 4.5%.

Hammond said many young people think vaping is not harmful and do not know the nicotine levels of vaping products. He added, “Parents and kids should know that these products are capable of producing addiction⁵ and may have long term health risks….”

In an emailed statement, JUUL said, “We don’t want any non-nicotine users to use our products, especially youth.” The company said it had taken aggressive action in the U.S. and Canada to fight underage use of its products.

Linda Bauld is the head of public health at the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She says parents should talk to their children about the dangers of smoking and vaping.

She told Reuters in an email that “parents should explain that vaping products are for adult smokers⁶ trying to quit, not teenagers who have never smoked.”

Bauld added, “Vaping is less harmful than smoking, that’s why it is a good option for adult smokers. But that doesn’t mean that it is risk free and it is better for teenagers to use nothing - no vaping, no smoking.”

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

addiction – n. a strong and harmful need to regularly have something such as a drug or do something such as gamble

flavoring – n. a substance that is added to a food or drink to give it a desired taste

option – n. something that can be chosen; a choice or possibility

regularly – adv. very often

vaping – v. to draw in and exhale the vapor from an e-cigarette or similar device for marijuana

1 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

2 inhale   

v.吸入(气体等)，吸(烟)

参考例句：

• Don't inhale dust into your lung.别把灰尘吸进肺里。
• They are pleased to not inhale second hand smoke.他们很高兴他们再也不会吸到二手烟了。

3 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

6 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。