2023年经济学人 反电子烟政策可能产生的意外后果(1)

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 inhale¹ nicotine² without lighting³ 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 asthma⁴ and chronic⁵ 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 addiction⁶ 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 minors⁷.

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 imposing⁸ 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%。

1 inhale   

v.吸入(气体等)，吸(烟)

参考例句：

• Don't inhale dust into your lung.别把灰尘吸进肺里。
• They are pleased to not inhale second hand smoke.他们很高兴他们再也不会吸到二手烟了。

2 nicotine   

n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。

3 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

4 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

5 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

6 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

7 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。