- Scientists at the University of California, Riverside are warning about new electronic cigarette products that come with touch screens, animated displays, and built-in games, which could lead to nicotine addiction and gaming disorder among youth.
- These new devices are designed to appeal to youth by incorporating features such as classic arcade games like Pac-Man and Tetris, celebrity endorsements, digital animations that change as users vape, personal photo customization, and bluetooth connectivity.
- The researchers are concerned that these smart electronic cigarettes are combining nicotine with existing youth behaviors like video gaming and screen time use, potentially broadening the market to include young people who were not previously interested in nicotine products.
- Some of the features found in these devices include games that require the user to vape to progress, virtual pets that are fed by vaping, and leaderboards that incentivize vaping for a chance to win prizes.
- The affordability of these new smart vapes, around $15-20 each, coupled with the advanced functions they offer for a lower price, make them attractive to youth and raise concerns about increasing nicotine addiction, gaming disorder, and environmental waste issues.
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Psychiatry & Mental Health, Public Health & Prevention, Addiction Medicine