Cigarette consumption has not decreased in the midst of a pandemic, not only among adults but also teenagers. Moreover, with the rise of e-cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes, whose advertisements are popping up on social media non-stop.
“During the pandemic, 52.2 percent of smoking activity did not decrease, so it was still bubbling. But, even more tragic, 15.2 percent increased,” said Tulus Abadi, Chairman of the Daily Management of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation YLKI, on the online Vape agenda. Tricks in Indonesia: E-cigarette Snare on Social Media for Young People, Wednesday (30/3/2022).
The data was obtained by Tulus from the National Tobacco Control survey in 2020. In addition to these figures, Tulus also explained that the pandemic and its impact on the income of the survey respondents did not affect their smoking habits, they continued to smoke and instead increased.
Unfortunately, young Indonesian smokers, 10 to 18 years old, have also increased. This problem is shown by the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data which shows an increase in the prevalence of smoking in children aged 10 years. From 28.8 percent in 2013 to 29.3 percent in 2018.
Correlate with COVID-19 risk
Unfortunately, Tulus also found that there was a relationship between an increase in COVID-19 cases and an increase in smokers in an area.
“The available data shows that the number of tobacco smokers and the number of COVID cases are intertwined. So, if the number of smokers is high in one area, the COVID-19 trend is also high. Now, both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are accompanied by high cases of COVID-19,” ” said Tulus.
His findings are also supported by a study from Stanford University in 2020. This study studied 4,000 teenagers in the age range 12-24 which showed that teens who are e-smokers are 5 times more likely to contract COVID-19.
Not only e-cigarettes, if teenagers are both electronic and conventional smokers, they will be 7 times more susceptible to contracting COVID-19.
“This [Studi Universitas Stanford] evidence that between COVID and conventional cigarettes, COVID and e-cigarettes, it is very intertwined related to the effects or impacts,” said Tulus.
Tulus also continues to remind that e-cigarettes are no safer than conventional cigarettes or even as a substitute for conventional cigarettes.
Watch Videos “E-Cigarettes Vs Conventional Cigarettes, Which is More Dangerous?“
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