Ministry of Health: after the start of online sales of vapes, the number of smoking teenagers has increased by 10 times

The number of teenagers with signs of nicotine addiction among regular smokers has increased 10 times after the first online store selling electronic cigarettes was opened in Russia in 2011. This was announced by Galina Sakharova, Chief Researcher of the Central Research Institute of Organization and Informatization of Healthcare of the Ministry of Health of Russia.

“Electronic cigarettes appeared in the Russian Federation in 2011, the first online store selling electronic cigarettes was opened. After their appearance, the number of adolescents among those who use tobacco and nicotine-containing products on a regular basis increased tenfold, the number of adolescents who have signs of nicotine addiction increased tenfold,” Ms. Sakharova said at a meeting of the Child Safety working group under the Coordinating Council under the Government of Russia (quote from RIA Novosti).

Former State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin instructed relevant committees to prepare and submit proposals to ban vapes in Russia due to their growing popularity among teenagers. The proposal to ban vapes was supported by Rospotrebnadzor, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In turn, the Ministry of Finance noted the risks of an increase in the illegal circulation of electronic cigarettes in the event of their ban and losses for the federal budget.

Olesya Pavlenko