Bans don't work: Estonian teenagers have a new mass addiction

Estonian teenagers are switching to vapes en masse — bans do not work, doctors warn of a new addiction, Narvanews reports.

It is noted that nicotine addiction is formed already at the age of 12-13, and some of the devices may contain unknown substances.

"Estonia is in the top three in Europe for teenage vaping. The ESPAD international survey, which covered 37 countries, showed an alarming trend: teenagers aged 15-16 in Estonia are among the most active users of electronic cigarettes in Europe. Higher rates were recorded only in Hungary and Slovakia," the report says.

According to the report, more than 50% of schoolchildren have tried vape at least once, almost one in three did it before the age of 13, the difference between boys and girls has almost disappeared.

Doctors note that in recent years the structure of teenage smoking has changed — conventional cigarettes have given way to electronic cigarettes, nicotine pads, disposable devices.

School workers confirm that the problem has become common. School health service nurse Kyatlin Laas notes that modern children are exposed to nicotine much earlier than their parents' generation.

The director of one of the Tallinn schools previously said that starting from about the 7th grade, there are several students in almost every class who regularly use vapes.

Restrictions are already in place in Estonia: flavored liquids are prohibited, distance sales are limited, and a ban on disposable devices is being discussed. However, the level of use among adolescents is not decreasing. According to experts, the reason is simple — devices are easy to buy through friends, online stores bypass bans, control in schools is limited.

The police are particularly concerned about cases when teenagers are sold devices with synthetic cannabinoids and other substances. Such vapes are distributed illegally and can lead to serious health consequences.