反电子烟政策可能产生的意外后果(上)

The possible unintended consequences of anti-vaping policies.

反电子烟政策可能产生的意外后果。

E-cigarettes, also known as vapes and by brand names such as Juul, are battery-operated devices that allow users to inhale nicotine without lighting a cigarette.

电子烟（E-cigarettes）也被称为vape，人们有时也以电子烟制造商的品牌称呼电子烟，例如Juul。它是一种由电池供电的设备，电子烟用户不用点烟就能摄入尼古丁。

They were introduced to America in 2006.

电子烟于2006年被引入美国。

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more than 2m high-school pupils (about 14%) reported using e-cigarettes in 2022.

根据美国食品和药物管理局（FDA）的数据，2022年，超过200万名高中生（约占全部高中生的14%）在调查中表示正在使用电子烟。

The FDA and others are trying to work out how to regulate them.

FDA和其他机构正在努力研究如何对电子烟进行监管。

The result may be a textbook example of unintended consequences.

结果可能是个典型的意外后果。

Though e-cigarettes are much less harmful than traditional cigarettes, their effect on health can still be serious.

电子烟的危害比传统香烟小得多，但还是会对健康造成严重影响。

Vaping has been associated with a higher risk of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

吸电子烟的人可能更易患上哮喘和慢性阻塞性肺病。

E-cigarette exposure may be particularly harmful for young adults - there are fears that it can harm brain development and trigger a lifelong addiction to nicotine.

接触电子烟对年轻人的有害性可能更大——有人担心它会损害大脑发育，并导致长期尼古丁成瘾。

Thirty states tax e-cigarettes and all states ban sales to minors.

30个州目前对电子烟征税，所有州都不允许向未成年人销售电子烟。

One way to cut e-cigarette consumption is by imposing a tax.

降低电子烟销量的方法之一是征税。

A study by the Centre for Health Economics & Policy Studies at San Diego State University found that a $1 increase in e-cigarette taxes is associated with a 14-26% decrease in vaping among high-school pupils.

圣地亚哥州立大学健康经济与政策研究中心的一项研究发现，电子烟税每增加1美元，高中生的电子烟消费量就会减少14%-26%。

Unexpectedly, the tax increase seems also to temper teenage alcohol consumption.

出乎意料的是，电子烟增税似乎也能降低青少年酒类产品的消费量。

One in ten teenagers reported binge drinking (four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men, within a few hours at least once in the previous month).

十分之一的青少年在调查中承认酗酒（即上个月至少有一次，女性在几个小时内喝了大于等于四杯，或男性喝了大于等于五杯）。

According to the study, a $1 increase in e-cigarette taxes is associated with a 10-11% reduction in teenage binge drinking.

根据这项研究，电子烟税每增加1美元，青少年酗酒的比例就会减少10%-11%。

Drinking and driving is especially deadly for young people.

酒后驾驶对年轻人来说尤其致命。

Young adults (aged 16-20) who drink and drive are 17 times more likely to die in a car accident.

酒后驾驶的年轻人（16-20岁）死于车祸的可能性能够增加17倍。

The study found that increasing e-cigarette taxes reduces this, too.

研究发现，增加电子烟税也会对此产生影响。

A $1 rise in e-cigarette taxes brings a 10-14% decline in the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths per 100,000 among 16-to-20-year-olds.

电子烟税每增加1美元，每10万16至20岁的青少年中与酒驾相关的交通事故死亡人数就会下降10%-14%。