How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape

Vaping has become a popular means of consuming herbs and their waxy and oily derivatives. Not only did it have simplified the process in which the consumption of botanicals and concentrates are carried out but it also made it more modern — something that appeals to today’s generations.

That said, certain restrictions have been made to ensure that vaporizers, whether they are for medicinal or recreational purposes, do not fall into the wrong hands.

If you want to know if vaping is right for you and if you can use a vaporizer? Then this article is for you. Because today, we will talk about the legal age for vaping. But before we answer that question? Let us first investigate vaping and why it is currently being regulated.

What is vaping?

Vaping has been argued to be a healthier alternative to smoking. It is a means of consuming select botanical plant matter or its byproducts like concentrates and oils. A vaporizer uses an electronic heating element that vaporizes the products without reaching the point of combustion. Because of the new vaping innovations and the latest advancements in technology, vaporizers have made the process of heating herbs, wax, and oils more convenient to the point that even minors can easily operate and use a vaporizer.

Herein lies the danger of using a vaporizer and why many nations have started to impose regulatory policies to manage the use and distribution of vaporizers. In addition, it is best to point out that the materials used in these vaporizers are not suited for minors.

A study on tobacco vaporizers

Some of the most common vaporizers, like tobacco vaporizers, can easily be bought from gasoline stations and even in convenience stores. These products usually sit on the shelf next to other tobacco products. Unaware retailers sell these devices to minors. Furthermore, some online sellers — albeit their intention to comply with existing regulatory policies — still may sell vaporizer products to minors if using lenient verification programs on their websites.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cites a study based on the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) in which it is stated that “current e-cigarette use — or ‘vaping’ — among middle and high school students increased alarmingly between 2017 and 2018, with over 3.6 million kids currently using e-cigarettes in 2018.”

On that note, the FDA has mandated vaporizer manufacturers to ensure that vaporizers are marketed as devices for use by adults and that the way they are packaged should not be “appealing to minors.” Many companies that produce vaporizers have been forced to change their marketing strategies to make their products less attractive to the youth by eliminating colorful branding and commercials as well as advertisements that show young people using their products.

This trend of minors using e-cigarettes or tobacco vaporizers has had the government, and many parents, worried. That said, many states in the US have started to regulate the use and selling of e-cigarettes to minors with the help of the FDA’s expanded youth tobacco prevention campaign, “The Real Cost.”

One of the most compelling reasons why they have decided to impose regulations on e-cigarettes is because many believe that smoking is a gateway to herb and wax concentrate addiction.

Therefore, in countries that regulate vaporizers, the legal age to buy them is typically the same age at which it is legal to consume cigarettes and alcohol. In the US, currently the world’s largest market for vaporizers, the legal age for vaping is 21.

The Vape Outbreak

In the years 2018 and 2019, many consumers have switched to using vaporizers. And this surge of vaporizer users includes those with very little to no background and know-how of using these devices. That said, many lung-related problems have been associated with using vaporizers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “as of February 18, 2020, a total of 2,807 hospitalized EVALI cases or deaths have been reported to CDC from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands).”

In addition, “sixty-eight deaths have been confirmed in 29 states and the District of Columbia (as of February 18, 2020).”

The CDC has identified vaporizers in general as “ electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air” and consider “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS),” as vaporizers.

These reported incidents have caused the enforcement of more stringent regulatory policies.

Benefits of Vape Regulations

The new regulations imposed on vaporizers in general and the increased vaping legal age has had some positive effects on the industry itself.

First, minors will now find it difficult to purchase vaporizers so the cases of injury and hospitalization among the youth are now minimized. The CDC states that “national ED data and active case reporting from state health departments around the country show a sharp rise in symptoms or cases of EVALI in August 2019, a peak in September 2019, and a gradual, but persistent decline since then.”

That said, the social stigma on vaporizers has also been minimized.

Next is that vaporizers are now used for the purpose for which they are intended. Whether it is for recreational or for medicinal purposes, vaporizers are now used by people who need them including those weaning from smoking and those who need to medicate to experience relief from their medical conditions.

Lastly, because vaporizers are now used by adults. Developers and engineers can focus more on features that are designed to enhance the user experience. Vaporizers like the Steam Cloud Box Mod Vaporizer and the Titan 2 Vaporizer from Dark Side Vapes are just some of the most popular devices on the market today.

Conclusion

The increased vaping legal age has helped take vaporizers off the hands of minors and has helped reduce the negative social stigma on vaporizers in general. Nowadays, vape users can freely use their devices without fear of being looked down upon, especially in public.

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