Smoking is considered cool again

Created: 01/15/2023, 09:00

By: Michaele Heske

Insecurity and stress as a result of pandemics and war play a role in youth addictive behavior.

© Vario Press

Significantly more young people reach for cigarettes than just a few years ago.

Dorfen experts are concerned about this trend.

Dorfen

– For a long time, smoking was considered uncool, especially among young people.

In the meantime, however, e-cigarettes have become part of the lifestyle for many young people, and classic butts are also trendy again.

A dangerous development, say experts from Dorfen.

Julia, Jennifer and Dominik - at least those are the names they want to name - are sitting on a bench on the Ruprechtsberg.

You have fags in your hand.

Julia (15) says they need “that” to “wind down after school”.

She is obviously embarrassed that she was spoken to.

Nevertheless, the girl takes a deep puff and claims, almost defiantly: "It's kind of cool." The cigarettes would get a buddy who is already of legal age.

What the clique calls "cool" is part of the zeitgeist.

That may be due to Corona and the Ukraine war, says Stefanie Huge, an internist at MVZ Dorfen.

"These are crises that affect young people, they are looking for an outlet." Uncertainty and stress encourage people to start smoking, says the doctor.

The isolation caused by the pandemic probably also favored the grip on the fag.

"Anyone who smokes at the age of 14 shortens their life expectancy by 20 years," says Dorfen internist Stefanie Huge.

© MVZ Dorfen

A recent study confirms their assumption: in 2022, 15.9 percent of the 14 to 17-year-olds surveyed stated that they regularly consumed tobacco.

In 2021 it was still 8.7 percent.

Among young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, the proportion increased from 36.1 to 40.8 percent.

In addition to cigarette packs, teenagers are increasingly using brightly colored, finger-sized e-cigarettes.

"For this age group, the fun factor and the better taste compared to tobacco smoking play the decisive role," says Thomas Pölsterl, head of the Psychosocial Counseling and Treatment Center Prop eV, which also offers a weekly consultation in Dorfen.

Another benefit: “Cigarette smoke stinks.

It's hard to hide that from your parents."

Huge explains that e-cigarettes are by no means harmless.

On the one hand, this is due to the ingredients.

Dangerous, for example, is the humectant propylene glycol, which creates the typical mist when vaporizing and which smokers inhale in ultra-fine droplets.

This can lead to respiratory irritation, a dry cough, headaches and nausea and increases the risk of asthma.

There are also no studies on the long-term effects of e-cigarettes.

There have been unexplained deaths in the US, reports Huge.

“E-cigarettes quickly become addictive.

The path to tobacco is short,” says Thomas Pölsterl from Prop eV © Prop eV

Addiction expert Pölsterl knows that the tobacco industry is clearly focusing on young people with these products.

“Due to the high nicotine content, e-cigarettes become addictive very quickly.

The path to a tobacco product is then short.”

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"In young people, the pulse increases significantly, the lung capacity is reduced and with it the performance," says Huge, describing the consequences of smoking.

The younger the smoker, the greater the risk of addiction.

"Anyone who smokes at the age of 14 shortens their lifespan by 20 years." The risk of cancer increases, the risk of cardiovascular problems increases.

Some experts believe that parents are in high demand as role models.

The Dorfen teacher Max Zeitlich holds against it.

"These are also stories of demarcation against the parents," says the 33-year-old.

The over 40 generation has health fever, goes jogging several times a week and buys organic food.

"Butts don't fit into the picture."

What supports his thesis: Although young people are smoking more again, they drink significantly less alcohol than adults.

According to Pölsterl, regular use of cannabis is also less common among teenagers.

Current data from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) shows that 10.4 percent of 12 to 17 year olds nationwide have already used cannabis, but the majority made it a single attempt.

"Then people only smoke weed during their training or studies," says Pölsterl.

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