Virginia ER visits suggest a shift from cigarettes to vapes

The big picture: The statewide shift mirrors broader trends. Traditional tobacco use has been steadily declining for decades, according to the CDC, as e-cig and vape use soars, particularly among children, per the World Health Organization.

Zoom in: Last year, 49,356 patients visited Virginia ERs and reported vape use, a 109% increase over the 23,630 visits in 2020.

• Meanwhile, ER visits in the state where traditional tobacco use was disclosed dropped 25% over the three years, going from 538,802 in 2020 to 401,832 last year.

Worth noting: The patients' ages weren't available as part of VHHA's report, but youth tobacco use is on the rise, according to FDA's annual youth tobacco survey.

• Last year, 10% of K-12 students said they use tobacco; use among high school students dropped year-over-year, but rose for middle schoolers.

What we're watching: The use of Zyn, a 10-year-old smokeless nicotine pouch that's suddenly TikTok famous thanks to "Zynfluencers" touting its bennies.