Think Change Forum (TCF), an independent think tank dedicated to generating new ideas has been organising a series of consultations which are part of a national study initiative, titled ‘Ideas for an Addiction-Free India’. As part of this initiative, TCF has recently conducted a survey in public schools with a total of 1007 participants across schools in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru.
According to the survey, 89% of children between the ages of 14 to 17 in grades 9 to 12 are unaware of the harmful effects associated with ‘vaping’ and similar electronic devices. The survey highlights a gap in awareness among children regarding the ill effects of addictive products like vaping. Moreover, 96% of the children surveyed were not aware that vaping and similar electronic devices are banned in India.
Among those who were not aware of the harmful effects of vaping, 52% perceived vaping as ‘completely harmless’ and viewed it as a cool and fashionable activity. However, 37% considered it ‘moderately harmful’ but lacked understanding about the nature of the harm. Only 11% of the children correctly identified vaping and other electronic devices as harmful.
Speaking about the survey, Sushant Kalra, parenting coach and TEDx Speaker said, “It is deeply troubling to see such a high percentage of children unaware of the harmful effects of vaping. This ignorance makes children in the age groups of 14 to 17 years ‘highly prone’ to taking up vaping or other types of electronic device delivering addictive substances. Glamorisation and normalisation of such habits among children have thrown a blanket of ignorance over the harmful effects of vaping. It is evident that parents and educators are not proactively discussing such habits or making efforts to prevent their children from adopting them. There is an urgent need for comprehensive education among adolescents, as well as proactive engagement with the two primary influencers in their lives – parents and educators. We must take immediate action to bridge this information gap and educate our youth about the risks involved.”
Furthermore, only 39% of the respondents confirmed receiving information from parents, educators, family members, or media sources about the need to avoid vaping and similar products. 61% of the adolescents stated that they had never heard anything against vaping or similar electronic devices, not even from their parents.
“High vulnerability of India’s youth to the allure of electronic devices that deliver addictive substances, despite us living in an information age, is a matter of great concern. When indulging in vaping, children inhale a range of harmful substances, including nicotine, flavourings, ultrafine particles and chemicals that can cause serious lung disease. The 2019 outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) in the US resulted in thousands of hospitalisations among teenagers and young adults, leading to long-lasting lung damage and pulmonary dysfunction for many survivors. It is therefore imperative to actively disseminate accurate information about the genuine risks associated with vaping, dispelling any misleading notions,” Dr. Rajesh Gupta, additional director pulmonology and critical care – Fortis Healthcare Noida added.