Editor’s note: Jeff Edelstein is a blogger for research firm CivicScience, Pittsburgh. This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared under the title, "Vaporized: Most Americans want flavored vapes to be banned."
There is massive support for the federal government’s plan to ban flavored e-cigarettes. The announcement comes amid growing concern over how e-cigarette companies like JUUL market their products.
A whopping 66% of Americans 13 and older “strongly support” the proposed measure, and a full 79% of the country at least “somewhat” supports the notion.
Predictably, most vape users were against the idea. However, more than a third of them expressed support for the ban on flavored vapes.
In terms of age, the most support comes from those 55 and older, and the least support – though still a robust 70% – comes from Generation Z, the very people the feds are trying to protect.
And without putting too fine a point on it, Generation Z seems to need the protections. Not only do they vape at the highest rate …
… but they also vape for the “wrong” reasons. Among people who vape, only a quarter of Gen Zers say they do it in an effort to quit smoking, nearly half the rate of other age groups. More than 75% of that age cohort started vaping just for kicks.
Nearly matching the numbers for overall support for banning flavored e-cigarettes, 72% of Americans say they are concerned about the increase of vaping-related illness.
It’s expected the ban will take a little less than two months to be put into effect.