Doctors can help teens kick vaping by implementing the five A’s: ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange. Vaping has taken off in recent years—especially among teenagers—giving rise to concerns that they will move “up” to e-cigarettes, further putting their health at risk. Physicians may be able to help them quit.
Full Answer
Is there help for vaping-related illnesses?
This is particularly important for patients who have developed physical problems such as breathing issues, or changes such as new or worsening difficulty with concentration or focus. The bottom line is that we don’t know everything yet about vaping-related illnesses and specific strategies for quitting vaping, but help does exist.
How can I Manage my vaping urges?
Recognizing emotions that trigger vaping urges can help you take more productive steps to manage those emotions, like talking to loved ones or journaling about them. Once you quit vaping, the first week (or two or three) might be a little rough. As part of withdrawal, you’ll probably also experience cravings, or a strong urge to vape.
Why are so many people quitting vaping?
One key reason for quitting might be concern over possible health effects of vaping. Since e-cigarettes are still fairly new, medical experts haven’t fully determined their short- and long-term health effects. However, existing research has linked chemicals in e-cigarettes to: lung and respiratory issues
What does vaping do to your body?
It raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack. Is vaping bad for you? There are many unknowns about vaping, including what chemicals make up the vapor and how they affect physical health over the long term.
How can you help someone stop vaping?
As a friend or family member of a smoker or vaper, you can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get information and tips on how to help others quit smoking or vaping. Offer lots of encouragement. Let him or her know that you're proud of their effort. Instead of offering advice, ask how you can help.
Can physicians tell if you vape?
Medical tests can detect nicotine in people's urine, blood, saliva, hair, and nails. Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes or e-cigarettes.
How can schools help with vaping?
There are many ways to tackle vaping in schools. Early education, diversion programs to help students quit, and engagement of peers, parents/guardians, and staff are good places to start.
Is there a treatment for vaping?
For people who are motivated, here are some ways to quit vaping. Medications: Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is considered first-line treatment for most people who want to make a quit attempt, and it is available over the counter for adults or by prescription for children under age 18.
Can doctors tell if you've Vaped in the past?
So, unless a patient walks into the clinic with a vaping device in hand and vapor billowing from their mouth, it's unlikely a doctor can tell if they have a history of e-cigarette use.
Can my dentist tell if I vape?
The answer is yes. While some people switch from smoking to vaping because they may think vaping is a safer alternative to smoking, studies show that it is just bad for your teeth and gums. Vaping has the same adverse effects on your oral health as smoking and your dentist WILL be able to tell.
How do you stop youth from vaping?
Reduce Young People's Exposure to E-cigarettesRestrict E-cigarette Use Around Young People. Don't let anyone use e-cigarettes or other tobacco products around young people. ... Visit Tobacco-Free Locations. ... Ensure School is Tobacco-Free. ... Make Your Home Tobacco-Free. ... Be an Example.
How do I stop my teenager from vaping?
Here are some things you can do if you are concerned about a young person vaping:Learn the facts. Read through our fact sheets for parents and teachers and teens, as well as our myth busters.Have a conversation. Approach the conversation calmly, and ask questions. ... Call Quitline (13 7848) for free advice.
How can we prevent teenage smoking?
To help your teen avoid getting hooked, follow these tips.Set a good example. Teen smoking is more common among teens whose parents smoke. ... Understand the attraction. ... Say no. ... Think beyond cigarettes. ... Appeal to your teen's vanity. ... Do the math. ... Expect peer pressure. ... Take addiction seriously.More items...
Can your lungs cure from vaping?
Breathing in the harmful chemicals from vaping products can cause irreversible (cannot be cured) lung damage, lung disease and, in some cases, death.
Is vaping worse than smoking?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
How can teens stop vaping at school?
One of the best ways to stop vaping at your school is to create a healthy school environment. This means promoting healthy activities and providing support for students who are struggling with addiction. You can do this by offering counseling services, after-school programs, and health education classes.
What happens if school catches you vaping?
Most kids use vape pens because they cannot be easily recognized as e-cigarettes. Common punishments include community service, one-week suspension for first or second offenses, and even expulsion for repeated behavior.
Is vaping in school illegal?
LAW AND REGULATIONS School management and boards must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that no person smokes or vapes in any part of the premises, whether inside or outside, at any time of day.
How do you educate kids about vaping?
Talk with Your Teen About E-cigarettes: A Tip Sheet for Parents. ... Know the facts. ... Be patient and ready to listen. ... not to deliver a lecture. ... Set a positive example by being tobacco-free. ... Find the right moment. ... Ask for support. ... coaches, or counselors whom you know are aware of the risks of e-cigarettes.More items...
What is the best medication for nicotine replacement?
Prescription medications such as bupropion (also known as Wellbutrin or BuSpar) and varenicline (Chantix) are available for people who have difficulty quitting even with nicotine replacement. Medication treatment for nicotine use disorders should always be supervised by a healthcare professional for children under 18. This applies to NRT (which is only available by prescription for teens), bupropion, and varenicline.
What is an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes, rebranded as sleek "vaping devices" and designed to appeal to youth , attracted large numbers of children, adolescents, and young adults who were nonsmokers, and many became addicted to nicotine. While nicotine is the active ingredient in both combustible and electronic cigarettes, "vapes" can deliver a much higher dose much faster ...
Why is it important to connect patients to healthcare providers?
This is particularly important for patients who have developed physical problems such as breathing issues, or changes such as new or worsening difficulty with concentration or focus.
When did e-cigarettes start?
E-cigarettes burst onto the scene in the 2010s and were quickly embraced by the public as a solution to the problem of smoking, even heralded by former Surgeon General Richard Carmona as having "very meaningful harm reduction potential" for adult smokers. Astonishingly, e-cigarette manufacturers were never required to demonstrate that their devices were safe, or even safer than combustible cigarettes — the idea that a product could be more health-harming than tobacco seemed so unfathomable as to be not worthy of serious consideration.
Can you stop using e-cigarettes?
Studies have found that while smokers are often successful in switching to e-cigarettes, very few are able to stop using these products. This is predictable, because the higher dose of nicotine delivered by e-cigarettes can effectively surmount nicotine tolerance, satisfying the drive for a nicotine "buzz." Switching to e-cigarettes would only be harm-reducing if the products cause less health damage than traditional cigarettes. While combustible cigarette use is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide, the recent identification of a new disease called "e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury" or EVALI, which has resulted in nearly 1,900 cases of severe lung disease and 37 deaths so far, calls into question whether e-cigarettes can clear even this extremely low bar.
Is it safe to use an e-cigarette?
Astonishingly, e-cigarette manufacture rs were never required to demonstrate that their devices were safe, or even safer than combustible cigarettes — the idea that a product could be more health-harming than tobacco seemed so unfathomable as to be not worthy of serious consideration.
Can vaping cause seizures?
Exposure to high doses of nicotine can also result in consequences not typically seen in people who get lower doses of nicotine from traditional tobacco products, such as difficulty with concentration and memory, and even seizures from nicotine toxicity. The news media has documented stories of teens whose lives were derailed due to problems caused by vaping.
Why do people not want to tell their doctor they are vaping?
The most common reasons for withholding these details included not wanting to be judged or lectured, not wanting to hear how harmful their behavior is and embarrassment. That explains why someone might not want to tell their doctor they are vaping THC, even though social acceptance for marijuana is at an all-time high.
How many people died from vaping?
The mysterious vaping lung disease has sickened more than 2,170 people and killed at least 42. The illness, tentatively called EVALI, looks and sounds like pneumonia.
Why is it so hard to quantify how many patients are withholding information from doctors?
It’s difficult to quantify how many patients are withholding information from doctors or how many cases aren’t being counted because a person won’t admit that they are vaping — a key piece of information needed to diagnose EVALI, Koppaka said.
Why did Aberegg vape?
He asked his parents to leave the room, Aberegg recalled. The young man said he was vaping THC to treat underlying abdominal issues. The sicker he felt, the more he vaped.
Should doctors ask patients if they vape?
The CDC is encouraging doctors to ask patients whether they vape and what exactly they’re inhaling — and even to ask patients if they can test them for drug use. The agency recommends doctors employ “empathetic, nonjudgmental” and “private questioning of patients regarding sensitive information to assure confidentiality.”
Who is the chief of pediatric pulmonology at Winthrop Hospital?
Dr. Melodi Pirzada, who has treated nearly 20 patients for EVALI as chief of pediatric pulmonology at New York University Winthrop Hospital, said doctors need to be certain of what patients vaped — especially those who say it was just nicotine.
Is vaping a THC?
U.S. and state health officials have traced the illness to vaping, mostly THC, and so far have identified vitamin E oil as a likely culprit. There might be “many problematic substances causing lung injury,” CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat told Congress last week.
How many people died from vaping in 2020?
As of Jan. 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 60 deaths in patients with e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI).
Why are e-cigarettes so popular?
First, many teens believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking. Second, e-cigarettes have a lower per-use cost than traditional cigarettes.
How many people want to quit smoking?
If you have thought about trying to kick a smoking habit, you’re not alone. Nearly 7 of 10 smokers say they want to stop. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health — smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, including your heart. Nearly one-third of deaths from heart disease are the result of smoking and secondhand smoke.
What is the best way to protect your health?
One of the best things you can do to protect and improve your health is to stay informed. Your Health is a FREE e-newsletter that serves as your smart, simple connection to the world-class expertise of Johns Hopkins.
Can you use THC in a vape?
The CDC recommends that people: Do not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Avoid using informal sources, such as friends, family or online dealers to obtain a vaping device. Do not modify or add any substances to a vaping device that are not intended by the manufacturer.
Is e-cigarettes as addictive as heroin?
Both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine, which research suggests may be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. What’s worse, says Blaha, many e-cigarette users get even more nicotine than they would from a tobacco product — you can buy extra-strength cartridges, which have a higher concentration of nicotine, or you can increase the e-cigarette’s voltage to get a greater hit of the substance.
Is e-cigarette smoking more popular among youth?
Among youth, e-cigarettes are more popular than any traditional tobacco product. In 2015, the U.S. surgeon general reported that e-cigarette use among high school students had increased by 900%, and 40% of young e-cigarette users had never smoked regular tobacco.
What is the AAP for vaping?
The AAP suggests using the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment technique as part of routine care in pediatric practices. Discourage use of vaping. For adolescents who do not use cannabis, try motivational techniques to elicit reasons for abstaining from use.
How much has vaping increased in 2018?
That represents an increase of 1.3% from 2018. Cannabis vaping was also used by 12.6% of 10th graders, a 5.6% increase. The highest rise in use was seen in 12th graders who experienced a 6.5% increase, reaching 14%. The use of e-cigarettes and vaping is part of a public health epidemic. With the rise in cannabis vaping, ...
What happens if a teenager uses cannabis for self-medication?
If teens use cannabis for self-medication, it can signal a mental health disorder, which can benefit from treatment. Pose a challenge. If an adolescent does not report regular use and denies problems, the AAP suggests physicians offer a “challenge” to their patient. This can be asking them to quit for a brief period.
Is vaping a lung disease?
Even as a mysterious vaping-related lung illness claims young lives, more teenagers are vaping cannabis than before, according to a recent research letter. While nicotine use is most common, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the principle psychoactive constituent of cannabis, is also being vaped. This increased use is raising concerns about potential health effects.
Is vaping a public health issue?
The use of e-cigarettes and vaping is part of a public health epidemic. With the rise in cannabis vaping, the AMA is urging e-commerce CEOs to vigorously enforce their existing policies to keep illicit vaping products off their platforms.
How to not feel like vaping?
Shake up your routine. Varying your usual routine can help you avoid situations that make you feel like vaping.
What to do when you are craving vapes?
Come up with a list of things you can do to deal with the craving in the moment, such as: practicing deep breathing. trying a short meditation. taking a quick walk or step outside for a change of scenery.
What is nicotine replacement therapy?
Nicotine replacement therapy — nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, sprays, and inhalers — can help some people. These products provide nicotine at a consistent dose, so you avoid the nicotine rush you get from vaping while still getting relief from withdrawal symptoms.
What to know before quitting vaping?
Before starting the quitting process, you’ll also want to identify your triggers — the cues that make you want to vape. These can be physical, social, or emotional.
What are the triggers for vaping?
Triggers vary from person to person, but common ones include: emotions like stress, boredom, or loneliness. doing something you connect to vaping, like hanging out with friends who vape or taking a break at work. seeing other people vaping. experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
How to manage cravings?
taking a quick walk or step outside for a change of scenery. texting a quit smoking program. playing a game or solving a crossword or number puzzle. Taking care of physical needs like hunger and thirst by eating balanced meals and staying hydrated can also help you manage cravings more successfully.
Does quitting work?
That said, gradually quitting can still work for some people. If you decide to go this route, just remember to keep your end goal of quitting completely in sight.
