Vaping FAQs

how to stop vaping epidemic

by Mr. Dave Schulist MD Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Ideally, try to set a date that’s at least a week away so you have time to:

  • identify some alternative coping skills
  • tell loved ones and enlist support
  • get rid of vaping products
  • buy gum, hard candies, toothpicks, and other things you can use to help fight the urge to vape
  • talk to a therapist or review online resources
  • practice quitting by doing a “test run” a day or two at a time

Full Answer

How can we end the youth vaping epidemic?

The American Lung Association's initiative to end the youth vaping epidemic launched on September 1, 2020, with an integrated, multi-component approach to support parents, schools and students.

How to quit vaping for good?

Instead: 1 Remind yourself how far you’ve come. Whether that’s 1, 10, or 40 days without vaping, you’re still on the path to success. 2 Get back on the horse. Committing to quitting again right away can keep your motivation strong. ... 3 Revisit your coping strategies. ... 4 Shake up your routine. ...

What can we do about vaping in schools?

All administrators, teachers, and staff should be familiarized with the different types of products on the market (some even look like watches!), the harm they cause to lungs and developing brains, and the susceptibility of adolescents to addiction. Share information with parents Parents are essential partners in the effort to combat vaping.

Should vaping products be banned by the government?

As an epidemic of acute lung injury and death associated with the use of vaping products continues to sweep the nation, public health advocates have called on the federal government to restrict the sale of these products until the cause of the outbreak is discovered.

Why did the FDA eliminate vaping flavors?

Why do people use vaping?

What should be done now?

Why is vaping illegal?

Why was the flavor ban stricken?

Is vaping harmful to the cardiovascular system?

Is vaping safe for young people?

See 4 more

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How can teens stop vaping epidemic?

You might want to talk to a health care provider who can suggest effective nicotine cessation programs that help teens kick the habit.Vaping has become an epidemic. ... Ask questions. ... Be patient. ... Help them remove temptation. ... Encourage them to have a plan. ... Point them toward more help.

How can we help stop vaping?

Quitting vaping? Here are 5 tips for handling nicotine withdrawalExercise. Physical activity is a reliable way to crush a craving, according to Hays. ... Use a distraction. Cravings will pass, if you can give them a minute or two. ... Set up your environment for success. ... Find stress solutions. ... Celebrate your accomplishments.

Why is vaping an epidemic?

Nicotine is highly addictive and is responsible for many health-related sequelae. Lack of awareness of nicotine in vaping products by adolescents has been one of the factors that may have fueled the current epidemic. In 2010, the US Surgeon General declared nicotine as addictive as heroin and cocaine.

Why is vaping so hard to quit?

Nicotine is very addictive. The more you vape, the more your brain and body get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When you go without vaping, the nicotine level in your bloodstream drops, which may cause unpleasant feelings, physical symptoms, and strong urges to vape.

Can a doctor 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 do I get my kid to stop vaping?

Prevent teens from vaping with these tips:Educate yourself. Many anti-drug initiatives have vaping guides available free of charge. ... Have a conversation. Talk to your children about the adverse effects of vaping. ... Prepare for peer pressure. ... Set a good example. ... Create a smoke-free home. ... Set clear expectations.

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 many kids are vaping?

2022 Findings on Youth E-Cigarette Use 14.1% (2.14 million) of high school students and 3.3% (380,000) of middle school students reported current e-cigarette use.

How can I stop vaping at school?

Here are some practical steps schools can take to prevent and reduce teen vaping.Start Tobacco Education Classes.Peer-to-Peer Education.Getting Parents Involved in Tobacco-Related Education.Implement an Anonymous Reporting System to Report Vaping On Campus.Offer Counseling for Stress, Mental Health, and More.More items...•

Is there an alternative to vaping?

“They can speak to an addiction specialist, there's nicotine gum, nicotine patches, things that have less harmful side effects than vaping.” There are only a few FDA-approved stop smoking aids. These include over-the counter nicotine skin patches, nicotine gum and lozenges.

How do I stop vaping with anxiety?

Exercise can distract you from cravings, reduce stress, and improve your mood. Make it a part of your plan to quit vaping. Stay busy with the activities you love. This will help take your mind off vaping and fight cravings.

How do lungs heal from vaping?

However, there are certain lifestyle behaviors you can practice to try and accelerate the rate at which your lungs heal.Drink Lots Of Water. ... Eat Healthy Foods. ... Exercise Regularly. ... Cough. ... Clean Your Living Space. ... Practice Deep Breathing. ... Try Steam Therapy.

Vaping epidemic in US teens: problem and solutions - PubMed

Vaping has risen to epidemic proportions amongst US teens. This poses a clear and present danger to teens' health with adverse effects ranging from acute lung injury to long-term addiction. This article summarizes key research findings that explain the reasons for the epidemic, health consequences o …

Reducing Vaping Among Youth and Young Adults | SAMHSA

This guide supports health care providers, systems, and communities seeking to prevent vaping. It describes relevant research findings, examines emerging and best practices, identifies knowledge gaps and implementation challenges, and offers useful resources.

Health Risks Of Vaping: Let's Stick To The Science And Speculate Less

A growing body of evidence gathered over the last 15 years has shown that using an electronic cigarette ("vaping") is probably far safer than smoking and likely to help smokers quit their deadly habit forever. Certain segments of the public health establishment have reacted oddly to these results—they've ignored them and treated vaping as a serious threat.

End the Youth Vaping Epidemic | American Lung Association

Research – Youth Vaping and Lung Health. The American Lung Association has committed $2 million toward research to understand the alarming effects of vaping on kids and find a solution to vaping related lung injury.

When will vaping end?

The American Lung Association's initiative to end the youth vaping epidemic launched on September 1, 2020, with an integrated, multi-component approach to support parents, schools and students.

What is the American lung association's vape free school initiative?

The American Lung Association's Vape-Free Schools Initiative will help schools support students impacted by e-cigarettes. As a member of the Vape-Free Schools initiative, schools will learn to navigate the youth vaping crisis by learning to implement INDEPTH ®, an alternative to suspension and Not-On-Tobacco® (N-O-T) a vaping/tobacco cessation program.

What is the "Get Your Head Out of the Cloud" campaign?

"Get Your Head Out of the Cloud" is a youth vaping awareness campaign from the American Lung Association and the Ad Council to provide parents with a simple roadmap to address the dangers of vaping. The campaign offers free educational resources including a conversation guide on our website, TalkAboutVaping.org.

What is the only convenient means to ingest nicotine a decade ago?

This training critiqued marketing used by tobacco companies and the added ingredients that go into cigarettes such as tar and similar carcinogens. Admittedly, the only convenient means to ingest nicotine a decade ago was with these additives.

What companies post juul videos?

Companies like Barstool Sports, which posts numerous times a day from its plethora of accounts. Accounts like 5th Year, which focuses on content for college students, prominently feature many videos of Juul consumption and created the #CigsInside movement which has limited the well-deserved stigma around cigarette consumption.

Is Juul marketed to kids?

Despite what some believe, marketing works. Even though Juul isn’t directly marketed to kids, the company was able to effectively sell the experience by making itself the topic of content that many millennials and Generation Z adolescents consume.

Is vaping a public health crisis?

Nicotine addiction cannot persist, having already entrenched us in a public health crisis.

Is nicotine harmful to e-cigarettes?

Nicotine consumption in any form is harmful, we must stigmatize using e-cigarettes just as much as real ones

Is Juul a good alternative to smoking?

These promises lack any scientific evidence whatsoever and impact many young people today, just like they did with older generations. Marketing the Juul as a “healthy alternative” leads customers to think they mitigate the risk of smoking, despite consuming a known carcinogen that does not have any research proving it is healthier.

Is nicotine easy to convince adolescents?

Adolescents are impressionable and relatively easy to convince when it comes to conveying important health information. Personally, my experience has only led me to hate two notable nicotine delivery methods: chewing tobacco and cigarettes.

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.

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 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.

How many people quit cancer without medication?

According to the American Cancer Society, only a small percentage of people — between 4 and 7 percent — quit successfully on a given attempt without medication or other support. In other words, slip-ups are very common, especially if you’re not using NRT or don’t have a strong support system.

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.

When do you start smoking?

Research shows that most smokers start before they are 21. Nicotine is extremely addictive, and children and young adults are more susceptible than older people to the effects. Teens who vape are also more likely to go on to smoke burned cigarettes.

Do teens use e-cigarettes?

Teens living in cities or towns that more strictly policed retail sales of tobacco products were a third less likely to try cigarettes or e-cigarettes as those living in areas with more lax regulation, the team at the University of Southern California found. And they were half as likely to become regular users of tobacco, including e-cigarettes.

When did the FDA start regulating e-cigarettes?

It is important to note FDA’s initial efforts to regulate e-cigarettes began more than a decade ago. Between 2008 and 2010, FDA attempted to regulate e-cigarettes as unapproved drug/device combination products. FDA’s action was challenged and ultimately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that while FDA could choose to regulate e-cigarettes and other products “made or derived from tobacco” under its new tobacco authorities, it could not regulate these products under FDA’s drug and device authority unless they were marketed for therapeutic purposes. 1

Why did the FDA suspend inspections?

Suspending inspections was necessary to protect the health and safety of FDA’s staff and contractors (both adults and youth) who participate in the inspections. However, FDA’s monitoring and surveillance of websites, publications, and social media continued without interruption during that time.

What is the FDA's authority to regulate tobacco?

Under the statute, FDA had immediate authority to regulate cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco.

How many warning letters did the FDA issue in 2021?

As of May 31, 2021, FDA had issued more than 120 warning letters to firms selling or distributing unauthorized ENDS and that did not submit premarket applications by the September 9 deadline. Collectively these companies have listed a combined total of over 1,280,000 products with FDA.

What is the FDA's role in tobacco?

In 2009, Congress passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act), which amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) to authorize FDA to oversee the manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of tobacco products and protect the public from the harmful effects of tobacco product use.

Why is the FDA investing in research?

FDA is investing in regulatory science research to learn more about how ENDS products are being used and their health impacts. Research findings help inform the Agency’s regulatory decision-making.

How many youth use e-cigarettes in 2020?

While we are seeing some progress in youth prevalence rates, the fact that there are still 3.6 million youth e-cigarettes users in 2020 is deeply concerning and underscores the critical need for FDA to address youth use of e-cigarettes and other ENDS.

What is the most popular tobacco product among high school students?

E-cigarettes are the most popular tobacco product among high school students and they are on the rise with elementary children, so it’s no surprise that they’ve made their way onto school campuses. E-cigarettes are especially appealing to kids, and, since many look like everyday objects, they’re easy to hide.

Should schools have e-cigarette policies?

You should specifically address e-cigarettes in your policy, but make sure they aren’t punitive. This isn’t as much a discipline issue as a rehabilitation one. Instead of exclusionary discipline like in-school suspension, consider having students participate in interactive educational sessions like INDEPTH. Schools also need to have programs and counseling available on-site to help kids quit and support them through that process. This K-12 model policy is a great place to start.

Can students vape in class?

Students share that it is fairly easy to discreetly vape in class, and that’s a huge problem. However, it can be mitigated with some staff training. All administrators, teachers, and staff should be familiarized with the different types of products on the market (some even look like watches!), the harm they cause to lungs and developing brains, and the susceptibility of adolescents to addiction.

How can physicians help with vaping?

The other way physicians can help address vaping in adolescents is by participating in advocacy at a local, state or national level. Currently in the state of Missouri, e-cigarettes are not included in the definition of “Tobacco Products” and thus are not subject to the same restrictions as combustible cigarettes. The sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18 years of age is prohibited, just as with tobacco. But the only regulation in place for e-cigarette packaging is that the liquid must be in child-resistant containers. The American Academy of Pediatrics is currently advocating for Missouri to include e-cigarettes in smoke-free laws and to increase the minimum age to purchase electronic cigarettes to 21 years.16Organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians have both released position papers on vaping and offer further ways to join the fight. It is time for physicians to ask their adolescent patients about vaping and to provide education to the child and parents on the dangers of vaping. Physicians have the responsibility to be advocates for their patients working with medical organizations, state and local governments to address the adolescent vaping epidemic.

What is the advertising for e-cigarettes?

Advertising for e-cigarettes has been heavily aimed at adolescents. Everything from the billboards to the packaging to the product itself has been aimed at teens. Ads on social media were widely distributed. From 2014 to 2016, advertising for vaping exploded and one study found that 78% of middle and high school students had been exposed to at least one advertisement.1Pods come in fun packaging and the different pods are flavored to be attractive to adolescents, with everything from mint to gummi bear to frosted sugar cookie. This is especially concerning because studies have shown that flavor is one of the most important factors adolescents consider in trying e-cigarettes.4The devices to aerosolize the pods are designed to look like anything from USBs to pens to inhalers. They can be personalized much like a cell phone case and backpacks have special pockets for the mod devices.

What is an electronic cigarette?

Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices that use an electric pulse to heat and aerosolize a flavored liquid that typically contains nicotine. They were first introduced to the U.S. in 2007, and they were advertised by the tobacco companies as an adjunct method to help patients quit smoking. This claim never had evidence to support it, as studies comparing the use of electronic cigarettes, placebos, and nicotine patches demonstrated no significant differences in abstinence rates.3But because e-cigarettes were seen as a treatment option, they were not subjected to the same regulations as combustible cigarettes. It wasn’t until 2016 that the Congress passed the Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act, giving the FDA the authority to regulate e-cigarette packaging.1

Do e-cigarettes increase the chance of smoking?

There has also been evidence that suggests e-cigarette use increases an individual’s chance of using combustible cigarettes . Adolescents who use e-cigarettes are 3.6 times more likely to report using combustible cigarettes later in life.9Teens have also been shown to be more susceptible to addiction. We know that nicotine addiction often originates in adolescence with studies showing that close to 90% of adult daily smokers started before the age of 18.10Thus, e-cigarettes are effectively helping to create a new generation addicted to nicotine.

Is e-cigarette use increasing?

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has recently risen to the forefront of medical discussions across the country. A significant increase in e-cigarette use by adolescents has been observed over the last decade. This article discusses the targeting of adolescents by e-cigarette companies. It looks at how teenagers are uniquely affected by nicotine and at risk for progressing to using combustible cigarettes and marijuana. Lastly, it discusses the role of physicians in combating the spread of e-cigarettes.

Can vaping be used to inhale cannabinoids?

Many vaping devices can also be used to inhale cannabinoids. One study demonstrated that teens who use nicotine liquid in e-cigarettes were 3.6 to 4 times more likely to use marijuana in the next two years.1Another study demonstrated that 1 in 10 seniors in high school vape cannabis.6This should be extremely distressing to physicians and medical providers because it is known that marijuana is extremely harmful to the development of the adolescent brain and studies have actually shown changes in brain structure. As a result, deficits in attention, learning, and memory associated with cannabis use in adolescents has been reported.11One study demonstrated that high schoolers who use marijuana were four times more likely to have multiple sexual partners when compared to students who only use tobacco or alcohol.12A sizable portion of adolescents who use marijuana report symptoms of paranoia, anxiety and hallucinations.13. Adverse effects from marijuana use, including cannabis hyperemesis syndrome have become common among pediatric patients.14

Why are schools at the core of the vape epidemic?

Schools, she said, are at the "core of the vape epidemic because that's where kids are the majority of the time."

What is the best vape?

The best-known vape product is Juul – a sleek device often compared to a portable USB drive and "so popular that it's its own verb," Roberts said. News reports tell of the challenges from coast-to-coast. A high school principal in California told the Sonoma West Times & News that vaping was his school's No. 1 disciplinary issue.

How many high school students use e-cigarettes?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 21% of high school students used e-cigarettes in 2018. That was an increase of nearly 78% in just one year. Among middle school students, the growth rate was 48.5%, from 3.3% to 4.9%.

Is vaping a disciplinary issue in high school?

A high school principal in California told the Sonoma West Times & News that vaping was his school's No. 1 disciplinary issue. In New York, schools in the Utica area have turned to extra security checks and vape detectors in bathrooms, according to the Observer-Dispatch. "It's everywhere," Roberts said.

Do teens use e-cigarettes?

Many teachers and parents don't know that the number of teens using e-cigarette devices has grown rapidly in just the past several years. Adults might not even recognize the most popular vape products, which look more like something out of Silicon Valley than Marlboro Country.

Does vaping affect mental health?

E-cigarettes typically contain addictive nicotine, which can harm young brains and affect cognitive ability, mental health and personality. Evidence suggests vaping may damage blood vessels, raise blood pressure and increase the risk of clots.

Why did the FDA eliminate vaping flavors?

The evidence was overwhelming that the primary purpose of the flavors (and the accompanying packaging and branding) was to attract young people to the products. It was not entirely clear whether addicted teenagers would eventually gravitate from vaping to tobacco use, but the FDA had preliminary evidence that this risk was substantial. The primary public health goal, from my perspective, was to reduce the number of tobacco-related deaths, cancers, strokes, heart attacks, and instances of heart and renal failure. I hoped that we would be able to strike a favorable balance, one that limited the growth of vaping while evidence could be gathered to determine whether vaping is a truly effective approach to weaning people from tobacco products.

Why do people use vaping?

Without the toxic and carcinogenic combustion substances produced in cigarettes, e-cigarettes were deemed healthier, and could be used by cigarette smokers as a way to wean themselves from their nicotine addiction. But the use of such products threatened to produce an epidemic of nicotine addicts, particularly if the concentration of profoundly addictive nicotine reaching the lungs, and therefore the brain, could be optimized.

What should be done now?

Having left the FDA in 2017, I have no inside knowledge regarding the information available to the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Nevertheless, these are the steps I would personally recommend:

Why is vaping illegal?

Additionally, addictive substances with psychoactive properties, when proscribed by law, become economic and social substrates for illegal markets, stimulating dangerous business deals with associated violent and nonviolent crime and filling our prisons with people who would otherwise be contributing to society. A regime of legal prohibition also dissuades people from seeking help with addiction for fear of stigma that might negatively affect future employment and social mobility.

Why was the flavor ban stricken?

As the proposed rule made its way through the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the flavor ban was stricken for reasons that were not specified.

Is vaping harmful to the cardiovascular system?

At the time, there was no direct evidence of harm from vaping and the limited biological studies of nicotine gave a mixed picture — clear potential for addiction, and activation of the cardiovascular system, but fewer of the toxic effects of the carcinogens and inflammation-producing components of tobacco tar.

Is vaping safe for young people?

The mix of marketing and confusion about who was assuring the safety of vaping products has apparently led to a common belief in young people that these products are safe — so much so that “juuling” is a common event in university libraries as students try to concentrate on their studies.

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