According to Lebensmittel Praxis on November 5, Philip Morris International (PMI) said that a survey on tobacco consumption among teenagers conducted by the German Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) showed that heated tobacco products (HTP) are not attractive to minors, and contrary to public warnings, the product will not produce a new generation of smokers.
BZgA regularly examines the use of tobacco and nicotine products among minors aged 12 to 17 and young people aged 18 to 25, with a total of 7,001 respondents. The data is considered to be one of the most credible data among people of the relevant age group in Germany. Its 2023 survey results will be released at the end of May 2024. The latest survey results show that minors have no interest in HTP products, which runs counter to previous public warnings. The use of traditional combustible tobacco products such as cigarettes and hookahs among teenagers continues to decline. Currently, the use rate of traditional cigarettes is 7.4% and that of hookahs is 3.9%.
BZgA noted that the overall level of vape and HTP product use among minors is low. PMI noted that the 30-day use rate for cartridge-type vapes was 3.9% and for disposable vapes was 6.7%, which is 10 to 20 times that of HTP products (0.3%).
Dr. Alexander Nussbaum, head of scientific and medical affairs at PMI, commented, “The continued low use of HTP products among adolescents refutes speculation that these products are deliberately targeting a new generation of smokers. The data show that HTP products are almost exclusively used by adults, which has better achieved the goal of protecting adolescents, and market participants have also shown a sense of responsibility.”
The head believes that the possible reasons for adolescents’ low interest in HTP products are their limited flavor selection, responsible product presentation, and effective age restrictions.
“It’s not just the regulations that are working, PMI’s self-selected marketing also plays an important role. (This shows that) science-based regulations and responsible manufacturer marketing are working. Prevention research needs to carefully observe which prevention measures have not worked, and also pay attention to which measures have worked.”
“Non-burning nicotine products still have avoidable health risks. Although the law prohibits their use by people under the age of 18, their use by minors should be the focus of prevention. However, this should not ignore the needs of about 20 million adult smokers, some of whom have smoked for decades and face a higher risk of subsequent diseases.”
Against this background, Guutuu vapes are also actively paying attention to the health and needs of consumer groups. The brand has been committed to providing a rich selection of flavors, responsible product presentation, and complying with effective age restrictions to ensure product compliance and safety. At the same time, Guutuu vapes also advocate science-based regulations and responsible marketing methods to achieve the goal of better protecting the health of young people.
Although non-burning nicotine products have avoidable health risks, Guutuu vapes emphasize the prohibition of minors by regulations and call for attention to the needs of adult smokers. The brand will continue to strive to provide high-quality, safe and reliable vape products, while supporting the implementation of health education and prevention measures to ensure that consumers’ health and well-being always come first.
Tags: Philip Morris International responds to German survey，German youth tobacco consumption survey，Guutuu vape