Landl: America’s focus on vaping misses the point
The recently released Lancet Global Burden of Disease report sheds light on a troubling trend: young adults are facing an alarming increase in untimely deaths linked to mental health issues, substance overdoses, suicides, preventable chronic diseases, and violence. While the overall global death rates for this demographic may be declining, the specific challenges facing teenagers and young adults in North America have escalated significantly since 2011. The report highlights a staggering 63% rise in anxiety disorders and a 26% increase in depression among youths. Concurrently, chronic diseases associated with lifestyle choices—such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke—are becoming more prevalent in younger populations. Alarmingly, researchers estimate that nearly two-thirds of the global disease burden now stems from non-communicable diseases, with half of all deaths and disabilities worldwide potentially preventable by addressing lifestyle factors like obesity and tobacco use.
Despite this pressing evidence, many lawmakers continue to focus primarily on vaping and nicotine regulation, often citing youth protection as their rationale. While safeguarding young people from the harms of vaping is a valid concern, this singular focus distracts from the more significant and pressing issues contributing to youth mortality. Recent legislative actions aim to restrict nicotine products for adults, influenced by coordinated campaigns from activists and parents who may hold outdated beliefs about smoking and vaping. Notably, current data from the CDC indicates that youth smoking rates are at their lowest in 75 years, and the so-called “gateway” theory linking vaping to traditional smoking has been systematically debunked by research.
Public officials are urged to redirect their attention toward strengthening mental health services, enhancing addiction treatment, and launching public health campaigns that tackle the root causes of the youth mortality crisis. While efforts to curb youth vaping have shown promise, it is crucial to maintain perspective on the broader picture: young people today are experiencing stagnated or declining life expectancies compared to older generations, with vaping playing a minimal role in this trend. Addressing the multifaceted drivers of youth behavior—such as anxiety, economic pressures, and peer influence—will be essential in reversing this alarming trajectory. As Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, emphasizes, it is imperative that policymakers prioritize the significant health challenges facing today’s youth over the distractions of outdated narratives surrounding vaping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Xh69Koq28
The latest Lancet Global Burden of Disease report makes it abundantly clear: young adults are suffering a rising tide of untimely deaths related to mental health, overdose, suicide, preventable chronic diseases, and violence, even while global death rates decline overall for this group. Turn on the TV and you’ll get a different sense of the most pressing problems for youths, namely, vaping.
There’s a saying in military circles, “mind the alligator closest to the boat,” and U.S. politicians desperately need to get a handle on the most pressing issues for young people.
The report shows that across North America, deaths among teenagers and young adults have increased significantly since 2011. Worldwide, anxiety disorders have increased by 63% and depression by 26% in recent years. Meantime, chronic diseases tied to lifestyle factors, including diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease and stroke are rising among younger populations.
Researchers estimate that almost two-thirds of the global disease burden is now due to non-communicable diseases. Half of all deaths and disabilities worldwide could be prevented by addressing factors like obesity, high blood sugar and tobacco use.
Despite this evidence, lawmakers continue to fixate on nicotine and vaping. State legislatures made moves in 2025 to limit or restrict these products for adults and future generations.
Youth protection is always the stated reason, and it’s an understandable motive, but ignorant of the most pressing drivers of youth mortality. Would-be regulators are often responding to coordinated campaigns by activists and parents operating on faulty premises or dated myths. For starters, smoking has never been less of a problem than it is today, and that’s according to the CDC’s latest data on youth tobacco use. Adult smoking rates are also at their lowest level in 75 years.
Still, a majority of Americans wrongly associate nicotine with cancer caused by smoking. Then there’s the worry that vaping leads teenagers toward conventional smoking, which is also not supported by evidence. Research systematically refutes the “gateway” myth.
Many factors combine to drive youth behavior, including anxiety, depression, economic circumstances, family history and peer-group pressure.
Public officials should take these findings seriously and prioritize a strengthening of mental health services, addiction treatment and public health campaigns targeting the true drivers of the current youth mortality crisis. Attention spent on advancing restrictive vaping bans for adults (youth vaping is already banned) diverts time and resources away from the drivers of this spike in youth mortality.
Preventing youth vaping is crucial and is being achieved to a significant extent. That said, we shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture: young people worldwide are seeing their life expectancy decrease or remain static compared to older generations, and the reasons are many, but vaping isn’t one of them.
Michael Landl is the director of the World Vapers’ Alliance/InsideSources
