Among Ukrainian children and youth, the statistics of tobacco product consumption are rapidly growing. Doctors are recording not only the spread of electronic cigarettes, snus, and nicotine pouches, but also cases of toxic nicotine poisoning. This was reported by Otto Stoika, Candidate of Medical Sciences, doctor at the Kyiv City Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and public health expert, according to UNN.
Details
According to the doctor, children are becoming the main group of consumers of new tobacco and nicotine products – electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, and snus.
We are concerned, as doctors who constantly deal with the consequences, most often, unfortunately, of this consumption, because children are the biggest consumers of new tobacco and nicotine products.
Adolescents are especially attracted to products without a strong odor, which are easy to conceal. This, according to the doctor, makes them more dangerous for children and contributes to the rapid formation of addiction.
And the statistics, unfortunately, are growing. More children are already consuming electronic cigarettes than regular cigarettes. 20% of children consume electronic cigarettes, and regular cigarettes - 18%. That is, let's say, the spread is greater.
Also, nicotine pouches cause particular concern among doctors: 3% of children already use them, while among adults this figure is only 0.3%, says Otto Stoika. And such statistics already have consequences: the doctor reported cases of toxic nicotine poisoning in children caused by uncontrolled use of such products.
In addition, the doctor claims that, according to laboratory studies, including those by the American FBI, the actual amount of nicotine in these products often significantly exceeds that indicated by manufacturers – from 4 to 50 mg or more in one pouch, which is equivalent to more than two packs of cigarettes.
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