Assessment of the use of electronic smoking devices by students

Electronic cigarettes (EC), vapes are becoming increasingly popular among modern youth, creating a false impression that EC are less harmful than tobacco products. More than a quarter of young people are users of electronic cigarettes and vapes, while 80 % of them have been using electronic smoking devices for more than one year, and 2/3 continue to smoke “traditional cigarettes”. Every fourth person using ES and vapes complains of irritation of the respiratory tract, a feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath, increased heart rate and blood pressure, headache, gastrointestinal disorders immediately after using the smoking device. Every fifth person feels changes in the emotional sphere in the form of increased irritability, anxiety, and restlessness. However, only 2/3 are not against stopping using electronic smoking devices in the future. Preventive work among students, along with increasing hygiene literacy, should take into account the specifics of young people's use of electronic smoking devices and focus on preventing them from becoming involved in smoking tobacco products in the future.