Lee Memorial: Use of e-cig devices may come with risks
Costing more than $96 billion per year in health care expenses and claiming more than 1,200 lives each and every day, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.
It's no surprise vaping is growing as an alternative.
E-cigs are battery-powered devices that turn nicotine into a vapor that is smoked by the user. By providing the look, feel and inhaling experience of an actual cigarette — at a fraction of the cost — smokers don't feel like they're giving up anything but the risk for cancer. However, according to the CDC, cigarette smoking has not declined correspondingly with the rise of e-cig use. This could mean that vaping is not helping people to quit, but rather serving as a substitute when they're not allowed to light up.
Just because e-cigs have not been proven to be as harmful as conventional cigarettes does not mean they come without risks. Currently, there is no regulation on the e-cig industry. As the craze grows, so do concerns about its impact on our health.
Due to a lack of regulation, there is no guarantee these products are safe let alone effective. The FDA conducted limited studies and found significant quality issues. Some cartridges labeled no nicotine actually contained nicotine and some with identical labels emitted different amounts of nicotine when vaped. Some varieties can also be contaminated with toxic chemicals. Even if vaping products contain ingredients known to be safe for consumption does that make them safe for inhaling?
Touting sweet flavors like bubble gum and cotton candy, e-cigs are advertised on TV, the Internet, and in magazines and sold over-the-counter, enticing young users and raising concerns that vaping may lead kids to try other tobacco products. According to the CDC, e-cigarette experimentation and recent use doubled among U.S. middle and high school students during 2011–2012. This is a serious concern because the overall impact of vaping on public health remains uncertain. Regulation would prohibit sales to minors and marketing targeted toward this demographic.
Regulation is also being pushed to the forefront due to a sharp increase in nicotine poisonings associated with vaping products. The number of calls to poison centers involving e-cig liquid nicotine rose from one per month in September 2010 to 215 per month in February 2014, according to a CDC study. The CDC believes the number of cases is likely even higher since not every incident is reported.
In a concentrated liquid form, nicotine (which is considered a drug) can be toxic, even in small doses. Poisonings are possible through ingestion, inhalation and absorption into the skin or eyes. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, eye irritation, and possibly death.
Children are easily enticed by the sweet candy-like smells of these products, which are not childproof.
More than half (51.1 percent) of the e-cig related poisoning calls involved children under 5, and about 42 percent involved people over 20. Adults tend to come in contact with the nicotine while filling vaping devices, and can feel ill within four to five minutes.
The FDA recently extended its authority to study and regulate e-cigarettes which will help establish safety guidelines the industry will have to comply with. The FDA is looking to determine if e-cig products are safe; if they can aid in efforts to quit smoking; and to prohibit advertising and sales to minors. The FDA website offers users the opportunity to report any adverse events related to e-cigarettes or to leave comments for review.
When it comes to your health, it's better to be safe than sorry and use an FDA approved method for quitting. Free help is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or by visiting smokefree.gov4.
