Vaping FAQs

what caused the vaping epidemic

by Bethany Thompson Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Nicotine Addiction in Teens
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. Thus, e-cigarettes are effectively helping to create a new generation addicted to nicotine.

Full Answer

What are the dangers of vaping?

The interchangeable use of smoking and vaping is most common in people under age 35. They face equal risk of heart attack or stroke than if they lit up exclusively. The takeaway is that there is no ‘best’ method of inhaling nicotine.

How many people have died from vaping?

Vaping caused the death of sixty-eight people in the US between December 3rd, 2019 and February 18th, 2020. These deaths occurred across the US—in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Contrary to what you might believe, the median age of the people who died was 49.5 years. The youngest victim was 15, and the oldest—75 years old. 5.

What are the negative health effects of vaping?

The short-term side effects of using nicotine vapes are usually:

  • Lingering aftertaste
  • Light-headedness
  • Sweating
  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased heart rate

Why teens shouldn't vape?

The Top Three Reasons Teens Should Stop Vaping

  • Lung Illness. Hundreds of teens have been hospitalized due to vaping related lung illnesses. The Chicago Tribune covered...
  • Bad Devices. With the rising popularity of vaping, many counterfeited devices have entered the market. Vaping black...
  • Death. The Center for Disease Control reported vaping related deaths have been...

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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.

What caused vaping to become popular?

Public Health England, the UK's national health body, conducted a widely-cited study concluding that vaping was 95 percent safer than smoking. Emboldened by these findings, even more smokers began to take to vaping, particularly in England, where the adult smoking rate dropped precipitously.

When did the vaping deaths start?

According to a systematic review article, "Initial case reports of vaping-related lung injury date back to 2012, but the ongoing outbreak of EVALI began in the summer of 2019..." At least 19 cases of vaping-associated pulmonary injuries had been reported worldwide prior to 2019.

Why did teenagers start vaping?

Curiosity (55.3%) A friend or family member used them (30.8%) Availability of flavors like mint, candy, fruit, or chocolate (22.4%) They can be used to do tricks (21.2%)

What's worse smoking or vaping?

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 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.

What does vaping do to children?

sleep problems. exposure to cancer-causing chemicals. chronic bronchitis. lung damage that can be life-threatening.

How harmful is vaping?

The e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including: Nicotine. Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease.

Should I punish my kid for vaping?

Now that you are aware of the hazards brought by e-cigarettes, you have every right to punish your teen for vaping. It does not matter if they are only using it for recreational purposes. Vaping is still addictive and damaging. Some ways to punish your child are scolding and grounding them.

Does vaping help with anxiety?

Stress and anxiety can trigger vape cravings, and make it harder for you to quit for good. You may be tempted to reach for your vape when you have these feelings, but vaping is not an effective way to cope. There are healthy and effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety.

What percentage of kids vape?

But the number using electronic cigarettes was at a record high. In 2021, 9% of school pupils had ever vaped – the highest figure on record, up from 6% in 2018. Girls aged 15 were the most likely to do so; while more than a fifth said they were a current e-cigarette user, 12% said they regularly used e-cigarettes.

When did smoking become popular?

Cigarettes were first introduced in the United States in the early 19th century. Before this, tobacco was used primarily in pipes and cigars, by chewing, and in snuff. By the time of the Civil War, cigarette use had become more popular.

When did vaping become popular in Canada?

Text: TORONTO -- E-cigarettes and vapes without nicotine have been widely available in Canada since 2004, but the enactment of the 2018 Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) and enticing flavoured products catapulted the product into new heights on the market.

When did vaping become popular Australia?

Vaping use is on the rise in Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, e-cigarette use by Australians aged 14 or older has more than doubled from 2016 to 2019 and is most common among smokers aged 18–24 at 18.7% (an increase from 6.8% in 2016).

What is the appeal of vaping?

The appeal of vaping advertising is also stronger and more focused on younger markets. Specifically, “vaping..attracts young people who have never even smoked cigarettes, encouraged by aggressive marketing and the variety of alcopops type flavors available.”.

Is vaping dangerous?

With this much public and government pressure to enforce health and safety, it would be wise to consider the potential dangers of vaping. Even despite the lack of clarity on e-cigarettes, data does show that the people of the United States and the larger global community should take the threat of this epidemic seriously. We must be aware of the potential injury it poses to ourselves and our country’s way of living.

Is it safe to smoke e-cigs?

Despite the significant increase in the amount of recent lung injury cases, the positive and empowering intentions of e-cigarettes should not be overlooked. E-cigarettes were originally introduced to the market about 15 years ago as a safe alternative to smoking, delivering nicotine through a seemingly less harmful heated liquid. Multiple professional studies, such as a British study, published as recently as February 2019 in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that “e-cigarettes are more efficient than patches, gum or other products in helping people to stop smoking cigarettes.” Even though it’s currently difficult to quantify their health ramifications, these studies show that there is evidence that e-cigarettes are indeed less toxic than traditional cigarettes.

Does vaping increase the number of smokers?

Of further concern is that the growing number of vape users has been shown to also correlate to an increase in the number of first-time and daily smokers of real cigarettes, particularly in younger crowds, as noted before. This is quite opposite of the initially intended effect. William Shadel, a scientist at the RAND Corporation in Pittsburgh, Penn. says “vaping could make you more dependent on nicotine, and cause you to later want to take up cigarette smoking.” The role of vaping as an onramp to smoking real cigarettes cannot be cautioned against enough.

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.

How does nicotine affect the brain?

Adolescent brains are still developing, and nicotine exposure has been linked with cognitive deficits and impairment in memory and executive function. Electronic cigarettes have been connected with increased impulsivity, with one animal study demonstrating that exposure to e-cigarette vapor during times of rapid brain growth (like during adolescence) can cause hyperactivity and impulsive behavior changes.4Another study looking specifically at the teen population found increased risks of physical fighting, attempted suicide, and alcohol/marijuana use when comparing non-users to teens who smoked or vaped.8

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

How does vaping affect youth?

First, e-cigarettes have been linked to severe lung and heart diseases. Second, e-cigarettes with high levels of nicotine can put youth at risk for developing a nicotine addiction which subsequently hinders brain development. Third, e-cigarettes expose youth users to harmful substances, like heavy metals, and are a gateway to smoking cigarettes.

What would happen if vaping companies banned flavored vapes?

Banning the sale of flavored e-cigarettes would have hefty implications on vaping companies since they employ thousands of small shop owners and hardware designers. Banning the legal sale of flavored vaping products would also create a robust black market for e-cigarettes. A black market for vapes could be lethal for youth who find themselves smoking from cartridges cut with cheaper substances.

How many states have banned vaping?

Several localities have already taken vaping into their own hands. For example, four states have banned vaping on school grounds, seven states have enacted or will enact a ban on flavored vaping products, and 18 states have raised the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 in the past three years.

How many people use Juul e-cigarettes?

surgeon general raised an alarm regarding the rise in e-cigarette use among the nation’s youth, saying it has increased “at a rate of epidemic proportions.” According to the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey, over 5 million youth are currently using e-cigarettes, primarily the JUUL brand, with nearly 1 million youth using the product daily. This substantial increase in teenage vaping is seriously impacting middle and high schools across America.

How are e-cigarettes affecting schools?

E-cigarettes are causing public health and disciplinary concerns in schools nationwide. Teenagers are being hospitalized for vaping-related diseases, with at least one confirmed death. Teachers and school administrators are trying, yet failing, to prevent students from vaping in classrooms and on school campuses. Administrators are struggling to combat vaping with both punitive and restorative disciplinary measures, and students continue to vape even when facing penalties as serious as suspension. With the number of youth e-cigarette users increasing in the last decade and roughly doubling since 2017, there may be a need for new policies that could standardize an approach to combating teenage vaping and help curb the impact on students.

Why are e-cigarettes bad for youth?

Third, e-cigarettes expose youth users to harmful substances, like heavy metals, and are a gateway to smoking cigarettes.

What is the onus on the state to stop vaping?

Consequently, the onus will fall on state governments, boards of education, and local school districts to combat the issue of teen va ping.

How many people have died from vaping?

There have been more than 1,600 cases of the mysterious illness that is associated with vaping since May. Thirty-six people have died. The New York Times has a dedicated tracker. What exactly is causing these illnesses and deaths is still unclear, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has been trying to assess ...

Why are vapes made with THC?

Black market vapes: The reason most of the responsible products contain THC might be because THC vapes are more likely to be doctored than nicotine vapes, particularly in states where marijuana is illegal.

What does it mean when a vape burns hotter?

A higher burn temperature means that chemicals like formaldehyde that form as an ordinary vape operates can be produced more quickly, possibly delivering a dangerous dose.

What flavoring is in vapes?

The flavoring in vapes: Mango and gummy bear vapes are very easy to be concerned about: They appeal to teenagers, and to the already-hard task of figuring out the long-term effects of vaping, they add a whole additional mess of chemicals and reactions.

How many Juul mint pods are contaminated?

Contaminated Juuls: Earlier this year, Juul allegedly shipped 1 million contaminated mint pods, BuzzFeed News revealed this week. The claim comes from a lawsuit filed by a former high-ranking employee. The company told BuzzFeed that there had been a manufacturing issue but denied that this issue led to unsafe pods. The exact alleged contaminant is unspecified.

Is weed cartridge contaminated?

Weed cartridges that are otherwise contaminated: Perhaps otheringredients or contaminants in black market THC vapes are at least partially responsible. In tests commissioned by NBC News, 10 out of 10 bootleg THC vape cartridges contained harmful pesticides. (Though what dose of those pesticides is unclear; they weren’t present in samples of three legit cartridges.)

Is Juuls a cause of vaping?

Is it causing the vaping epidemic?: It’s plausible that contaminated Juuls could be responsible for a few cases, but since they don’t contain THC, it’s unlikely that they are the main cause.

When will vaping peak?

Emergency department (ED) visits related to e-cigarette, or vaping, products continue to decline, after sharply increasing in August 2019 and peaking in September.

When is the next vaping hospital admission?

Dates of symptom onset and hospital admission for patients with lung injury associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping — United States, March 31, 2019–February 15, 2020. Numbers do not sum to 2,807 due to missing admission dates.

How many deaths from evali in 2020?

As of February 18, 2020, a total of 2,807 hospitalized EVALI cases or deaths have been reported to CDC from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands). Sixty-eight deaths have been confirmed in 29 states and the District of Columbia (as of February 18, 2020).

What is an e-cigarette?

Using an e-cigarette is commonly called vaping. E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid to produce an aerosol that users inhale into their lungs.

When did the CDC stop collecting data?

Due to the subsequent identification of the primary cause of EVALI, and the considerable decline in EVALI cases and deaths since a peak in September 2019, CDC stopped collecting these data from states as of February 2020.

How to contact CDC about e-cigarettes?

If you have questions about CDC’s investigation into the lung injuries associated with use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products, contact CDC-INFO or call 1-800-232-4636.

Who monitors e-cigarettes?

CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state and local health departments, and other clinical and public health partners are continuing to monitor e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI).

Who declared e-cigarette use an epidemic among teens?

This week, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb declared e-cigarette use an epidemic among teens.

How long does it take for e-cigarettes to be approved by the FDA?

“The AAP rejects FDA’s decision to allow five leading e-cigarette manufacturers to submit plans in 60 days for how they will address youth use of their products.

Why are teens drawn to Juul?

Teens are especially drawn to Juul because the device, which resembles a computer flash drive, is easily concealed. Unlike most other vaping devices that stream clouds of scented vapor, Juul emits short puffs that quickly dissipate.

Can the FDA regulate e-cigarettes?

FDA has the ability today to do what tobacco companies can’t and won’t do: take effective steps to reduce and eliminate youth use of e-cigarettes,” the group said. “The Academy urges the agency to use its existing authority to immediately regulate all e-cigarettes.

Is nicotine addictive?

Some of the devices deliver a hefty load of nicotine, which decades of research has shown is highly addictive. It also can affect a developing brain in harmful ways.

Do teens smoke e-cigarettes?

Studies have shown that teens who try-e-cigarettes are far more likely to then go on to smoking old-fashioned combustible cigarettes. Hawkins saw it first-hand in a patient who lost her Juul device and became frantic in her need for a nicotine fix. “She was smoking two packs (of cigarettes) a day,” Hawkins said.

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