In recent years, several studies have alluded to the potential harms of vape usage, but a recent landmark study found evidence that vaping can be as bad for your heart as traditional cigarettes. These findings cast significant doubt on the claim that e-cigarettes are “safer” than traditional cigarettes; a claim usually made by proponents of vaping as a smoking cessation tool. 

The Cardiac and Lung E-cig Smoking study (CLUES) observed 395 participants (164 long-term e-cigarette users, 117 long-term cigarette users, and 114 people who do not vape or smoke). Those who used e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes experienced greater increases in heart rate and blood pressure; however, regular vape users experienced worse measures of heart rate variability, a constricted brachial artery (which is the major blood vessel that supplies blood to the arms and hands), and have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, participants were put through an exercise stress test, and those who smoked or vaped performed significantly worse on all metrics. Compared to non-smokers, the participants’ heart rates took longer to recover after exercise, and their hearts had to work harder at peak levels.

Long-Standing Health Implications Of Vaping

While these recent studies highlight the direct impact vaping has on the heart, multiple past studies have illuminated the additional damage vaping can cause. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study reported how vaping could cause severe lung damage. As of February 2020, the CDC has reported that 2,800 e-cigarette users have required hospital admission due to e-cigarette product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), and 68 of these cases resulted in death. 

Additionally, multiple studies have revealed troubling links between e-cigarette use, Nicotine, and mental health. According to a 2019 JAMA study, current e-cigarette users have double the odds of receiving a diagnosis of depression compared to non-Nicotine users. Another study found that frequent e-cigarette use is associated with higher levels of depressive and ADHD symptoms. Moreover, Nicotine use is associated with more significant anxiety symptoms. Overall, multiple studies over the past several years have provided quantifiable data on the adverse effects of vaping on individuals’ mental, lung, and heart health.

How Addictive Is Vaping?

According to the CDC, approximately 8.1 million Americans currently use e-cigarettes, which contain the highly addictive substance Nicotine. Many who use Nicotine products develop a physical dependence, which involves physical and psychological factors that make it challenging to cease using them. Within minutes of breathing in the Nicotine vapors from an e-cigarette, the brain releases dopamine, which is a chemical that plays a part in pleasure, motivation, and learning. Over time, the brain craves the feeling elicited from the dopamine release, thus leading to more Nicotine use which can lead to Nicotine addiction.

Nicotine use is pervasive in the US, so it can be difficult to notice when it has developed into an addiction. Some signs of Nicotine addiction include:

• Withdrawal symptoms when one ceases Nicotine use
• An ability to stop using Nicotine products
• A desire to keep using Nicotine products despite adverse consequences
• Requiring more Nicotine to feel “satisfied” 
• Experiencing cravings and intense urges to use tobacco.

Who Is Most Affected By The Adverse Health Effects Of Vaping?

While anyone can face adverse health consequences because of vaping, specific communities face additional health risks. For example, e-cigarette use or any Nicotine product use is especially dangerous for pregnant women and their developing babies. Nicotine can expose the mother and child to toxic chemicals, and it can damage a developing baby’s brain and lungs. 

The term “epidemic” has been used in reference to vaping amongst young people, and with over 2 million middle and high schoolers using e-cigarettes daily, it’s hard not to. Youths are particularly susceptible to the harms of vaping as their brains and bodies are still developing. Nicotine can harm a young person’s memory and ability to concentrate, alter their brain development, and lessen their ability to control their impulses. Additionally, teens who vape are 3 times more likely to smoke cigarettes than their peers who have never smoked. 

Quitting E-Cigarettes 

It is common for those trying to quit Nicotine products, like e-cigarettes, traditional cigarettes, and chewing tobacco, to try multiple times before it sticks. Attempting to stop e-cigarettes multiple times could lead to feelings of discouragement, but recovery is possible and can improve one’s quality of life. Quitting Nicotine products can directly reduce health-related risks associated with the use and improve mental health symptoms, and treatment is available. 

Therapy for smoking cessation is a tool that many people find useful. Licensed therapist can help with setting goals and supporting cessation. Get matched with a therapist today to get started.

The post New Developments On The Health Impacts Of Vaping appeared first on Addiction Center.

On Thursday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to Juul Labs Inc. that mandates the company must stop selling and distributing “all of their products currently marketed in the US marketplace.” These products include the Juul e-cigarette device and 4 types of Juulpods, consisting of the Virginia tobacco-flavored pods with Nicotine concentrations of 3% and 5% and menthol-flavored pods with Nicotine concentrations of 3% and 5%. Furthermore, Juul, a powerhouse in the US e-cigarette market, must remove all products currently on the market, or they risk enforcement action.  

The FDA claims that the company failed to provide enough information proving the products were safe for people of any age, not just the youth. Juul’s “conflicting and insufficient data” prevented the FDA from assessing the potential health risks of its products. The FDA decision is a part of a campaign to review e-cigarettes to ensure they are “appropriate for the protection of public health.” This quote means that e-cigarette companies must prove through data that their products are more of an aid to adult traditional cigarette smokers than a risk to the youth and general public. 

Previous Investigations Into Juul’s Marketing Tactics

Juul has long been in the hot seat due to allegations that the company knowingly sought teenage users with intentional marketing. Four years ago, the FDA began investigating Juul’s marketing efforts. Previous marketing campaigns included video clips of young, “hip” individuals using the Juul e-cigarettes with “youth-friendly” flavored pods, including flavors like “crème brûlée” and “cool cucumber.” The company has since modified these particular flavor names to more specific titles and only uses real people, not actors, who have switched from cigarettes to Juul in its advertisements. 

James Monsees, one of Juul’s co-founders, previously stated that selling Juuls to young people was “antithetical to the company’s mission;” however, a former senior manager said that he and others in the company were “well aware” that the products could appeal to teenagers. In fact, the company went well beyond appealing to teenagers during its launch period, from June 2015 through early 2016. According to a 2020 lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts attorney general, Juul purchased ad space on numerous youth-focused websites, including Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Network, Seventeen magazine, and educational sites for middle and high school students.

Harms Of Nicotine On The Youth

E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, make Nicotine increasingly accessible and tempting to young people due to pervasive marketing and enticing flavors. According to the FDA, nearly 10.7 million young people ages 12-17 have used e-cigarettes or are open to trying them. Additionally, research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that two-thirds of Juul users aged 12-24 did not know that the company’s products always contain Nicotine. While e-cigarette users may inhale fewer toxins than traditional cigarette smokers, that is not to say that vaping is without its harm. Nicotine inhalation remains a serious health concern for teenagers, whose brains and bodies are still developing. Additionally, some e-cigarette products contain more Nicotine compared to traditional cigarettes. According to Juul, a single Juul pod contains as much Nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

The risks of vaping for young people include Nicotine addiction, mood disorders, and permanent lowering of impulse control. Additionally, young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to try traditional cigarettes in the future, which is counter-intuitive to the mission of Juul and similar e-cigarette companies to reduce the number of adults using cigarettes.    

Are All E-Cigarettes Banned Now?

The FDA is not issuing a “blanket ban” on all e-cigarettes; however, the agency is reviewing applications for millions of products. The agency has only approved 23 applications for sale on the US market. For products to be approved, the benefits to public health must outweigh the potential harm, and the agency must consider if the product can help traditional cigarette smokers quit. 

Check if my insurance covers rehab

Addiction Center is not affiliated with any insurance.

What’s Next For Juul, Other E-Cig Companies, And Consumers?

On Friday, a federal appeals court granted Juul a reprieve to keep selling its products pending further court review of the FDA’s decision to ban Juul’s products. The e-cigarette company argued that the FDA’s decision was influenced by political forces that wanted to blame the company for the youth vaping crisis. However, the FDA did not explicitly state underage use in its decision to ban Juul from the US market. It will be up to the appeals court to decide whether Juul should be allowed to sell its products while the company pursues its appeal of the FDA’s decision.

Those who have been using Juul products to transition away from cigarettes and cigars may switch to other electronic Nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products that the FDA has approved based on their potential to benefit adult smokers. Potential replacements approved by the FDA include products by R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, NJOY LLC, and Logic Technology Development LLC. It is unclear if the FDA’s ban of Juul products, if upheld, will set a precedent for other popular e-cigarette companies.

The post FDA Orders Juul To Pull Products From US Market appeared first on Addiction Center.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can now regulate the sale of synthetic Nicotine, a decision that could potentially wipe thousands of electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, products off the market. In March, President Joe Biden signed a $1.5 trillion omnibus, or multi-topic, bill that expands the definition of a “tobacco product” to include lab-made synthetic Nicotine and traditional tobacco-derived Nicotine. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) now defines tobacco products as “any product made or derived from tobacco, or containing Nicotine from any source, that is intended for human consumption.”

This redistricting of what constitutes a tobacco product targets the regulatory loophole that some producers of e-cigarettes exploited to keep their products on the market. Over time, the FDA has refused or denied to review the applications of over 5 million vaping products. Instead of taking their products off the shelves, e-cigarette companies switched to synthetic Nicotine, thus avoiding the previous definition of tobacco products. Since their products were no longer under the umbrella of tobacco products, they could continue to sell their products without FDA regulation.

Another driving force that pushed some e-cigarette companies to turn to synthetic Nicotine products involved a requirement by the FDA in 2016 for companies to prove that their tobacco products caused more good than harm. This notion of good versus harm was often measured in the benefit to individuals trying to stop smoking versus the potential dangers of youth vaping. Again, to avoid this regulation, synthetic Nicotine products were manufactured instead of products containing traditionally derived Nicotine from tobacco.

What Are E-Cigarettes And Synthetic Nicotine?

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol, or vapor, that is then inhaled by the user. Commonly referred to as vape pens, e-cigs, tank systems, or mods, individuals can also use these devices to administer Cannabinoids like Marijuana and other substances. Inside a vape pen, a cartridge stores the e-liquid or “e-juice.” Besides Nicotine, e-juice can contain artificial flavorings, volatile organic compounds (acrylamide, benzene, and propylene oxide), micro-fine particles that get inhaled into the lungs, and trace amounts of heavy metals like lead, nickel, and tin. The flavorings of e-liquid pods, including bubblegum, strawberry, and many others, have long been criticized for potentially luring adolescents to try vaping and to continue use. Additionally, some flavorings contain diacetyl, a chemical linked to a severe lung disease known as “popcorn lung.” Some companies, including e-cigarette giant Juul, stopped selling fruit-flavored vaping pods altogether after pressure from the FDA to curb youth vaping.

Check if my insurance covers rehab

Addiction Center is not affiliated with any insurance.

Synthetic Nicotine, or lab-made Nicotine, is created in a laboratory and is not derived from tobacco like traditional Nicotine. This form of Nicotine is often marketed as “tobacco-free” as it does not contain any tobacco leaf, but under new regulations, synthetic Nicotine can no longer be marketed as such.

How Does This New Law Change E-Cigarette Production?

This change in regulatory law ensures that synthetic Nicotine and tobacco-derived Nicotine products are all regulated under the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products using the same benchmarks. This law will not ban vaping products and the production of vape pens, but it will have definite consequences for producers and consumers as popular products are potentially withdrawn from sale. For instance, back in 2020, the popular disposable e-cigarette company Puff Bar switched to a synthetic Nicotine formula after the FDA ordered the company to stop selling vapes as it had not followed the agency’s application process. This application process is often lengthy, as multiple big-name brands, including Juul, are still waiting to hear from the agency. The fate of companies like Puff Bar is unclear. To date, the FDA has only approved one vaping product, R.J. Reynolds’ Vuse Solo, and its corresponding tobacco-flavored e-liquid cartridges.

If Puff Bar, and similar companies, want to keep their synthetic Nicotine products on the shelf, they have until May 14 to make a premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) to the FDA. Once the PMTA is submitted, said products may remain on the market until July 13. Any synthetic Nicotine product that has not received FDA authorization by July 13 will be withdrawn from sale.

Criticisms Of The Bill

The response to the FDA’s new classification of tobacco products was split among 2 groups: those opposed to the shrinking number of cigarette alternatives and those in favor of further regulation of synthetic Nicotine products. Amanda Wheeler, president of the American Vapor Manufacturers Association, told Filter, “This bill ought to be called the Cigarette Protection Act, because the indisputable outcome will be countless more Americans pushed away from Nicotine vaping and back into combustible smoking.” For adults trying to quit smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes are often used to manage Nicotine cravings, but vaping is not without its dangers.

In contrast, some e-cigarette companies, including Juul, support the new regulatory law that will impact some of their largest synthetic Nicotine e-cigarette competitors. A Juul spokesperson previously stated that “illegally marketed and illicit products and products designed to evade federal and state oversight undermine harm reduction and a responsible e-vapor category.” By this sentiment, vaping companies and public health groups are in a tentative agreement.

The post Will E-Cigarettes Be Banned Under New Regulations? appeared first on Addiction Center.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the developed world. Fortunately, new research from the American Cancer Society suggests that cancer mortality rates are declining. In other words, cancer is gradually claiming fewer lives in the United States. From 1991 to 2017, cancer mortality declined by 29%, according to an American Cancer Society study published this month in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. From 2008 to 2017, cancer mortality declined by a rate of approximately 1.5% each year. Overall, the country suffered almost 3 million fewer cases of life lost to cancer than would have occurred had the death rate not declined.

Additionally, the rate of cancer mortality decreased by 2.2% from 2016 to 2017, the largest such decline ever to occur in a single year. The researchers attribute this trend to reduced mortality from lung cancer and the skin cancer melanoma. Since 1990, the death rate attributable to lung cancer has fallen by 51% for men. Since 2002, the lung cancer death rate has fallen by 26% for women. From 2013 to 2017, the lung cancer death rate fell annually by 5%. According to the study, better treatment options for lung cancer and the decreasing prevalence of smoking cigarettes are responsible for these changes. Nevertheless, lung cancer remains the deadliest form of cancer in the United States. The disease inflicts more casualties every year than breast cancer, prostrate cancer, and colorectal cancer all together.

Melanoma actually surpassed lung cancer as the fastest-declining cause of cancer mortality. Since 2013, the rate of life lost to melanoma has fallen consistently by 5-6% each year as immunotherapy and other advanced treatment methods increase the likelihood of survival for melanoma patients. The one-year survival rate for melanoma was 55% in 2015, a substantial improvement from 2010 when the survival rate was only 42%. Across all demographics, the survival rate for cancer in general was 67% in 2015.

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

More Findings In The Research

“The exciting gains in reducing mortality for melanoma and lung cancer are tempered by slowing progress for colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers, which are amenable to early detection,” said lead researcher Rebecca Siegel. The study reports a 53% decline in colorectal cancer mortality since 1980, a 40% decline in breast cancer mortality since 1989, and a 52% decline in  prostrate cancer mortality since 1993.

Unfortunately, the incidence of breast cancer has risen moderately since 2004 at an approximate annual rate of 0.4%. The incidence of some other forms of cancer are also continuing to increase. For example, cases of liver cancer are rising most rapidly, with an annual increase of 2-3% from 2007 to 2016. This phenomenon may be a result of rising rates of alcohol consumption worldwide. Other cancers which continue to increase in incidence are kidney cancer, oral cancer, and pancreas cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be over 600,000 deaths caused by cancer and about 1,800,000 new cases of the disease in 2020.

The Relationship Between Smoking And Lung Cancer

In 1964, the Surgeon-General reported that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer and recommended that the government take “appropriate remedial action.” The following year, the government began to require cigarette packages to bear safety warnings and imposed limits on tobacco advertising. Since then, the percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes has declined from 42% in 1964 to about 15% today. Even still, over 45 million Americans smoke cigarettes and about 438,000 of them die prematurely every year as a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are two ways in which smoking increases the risk of cancer. Firstly, the toxins in cigarette smoke damage the DNA in cells. Cells depends on healthy DNA to control growth. Otherwise, cells are likely to grow uncontrollably into tumors. The cells in the lungs and throat are most vulnerable to the carcinogenic effects of cigarettes because they are most exposed to cigarette smoke. Secondly, smoking weakens the body’s immune body and compromises its ability to attack cancer cells.

Luckily, it is possible to quit smoking and drastically reduce your risk of developing lung cancer. In fact, the risk of developing cancer as a result of smoking falls by 50% after just five years of giving up cigarettes. As with all forms of cancer, early detection is crucial for survival. The most common early warning signs of lung cancer are chronic coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and hoarseness. If you suspect lung cancer, it is important to schedule a screening right away.

The post Cancer Mortality Rates Decline In The U.S. As Smoking Subsides And Treatment Improves appeared first on Addiction Center.

As health officials continue to sound alarms about the risks of e-cigarettes, the world’s two most powerful nations each took action within a span of one week to limit the proliferation of the devices within their borders. While e-cigarette companies encounter opposition from authorities in the United States, Juul Labs, Inc. is attempting to bring its products into China, home to the world’s largest population of smokers, but Chinese authorities don’t seem excited about the idea.

In the United States, The Federal Government Will Ban Flavored E-cigarettes Nationwide

On September 11, the Secretary of Health and Human Services announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will formulate a new policy in the next few weeks which will force e-cigarette companies to stop selling all flavored vaping products. Under the new policy, which HHS Secretary Alex Azar discussed with reporters during a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, e-cigarette companies will be forbidden from marketing any flavors except tobacco for vaping devices. The new policy will therefore ban the sale of sweet, mint, and menthol flavors, all of which the CDC claims are most popular with children and teenagers. In May next year, e-cigarette companies will have the opportunity to submit their flavored products for FDA approval. Until then, the ban will be in force throughout the entire country, both in retail stores and online.

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

These new rules represent the most drastic measures that the federal government has ever taken against vaping, and they follow reports of hundreds of cases of respiratory illness and over one hundred seizures in over thirty states this year which vaping may have caused.

The HHS Department and many doctors agree that young people are more likely than adults to develop nicotine addiction from vaping. In a statement after the announcement, Secretary Azar reaffirmed the government’s stance, saying “we will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth.” A spokesman for Juul, the largest e-cigarette company in America, confirmed that same day that Juul intends to follow the government’s new rules.

In China, Juul Cannot Sell E-Cigarettes Online

Three days before the United States federal government told e-cigarette companies to take their flavored products off the market, Juul opened for business in China. On September 9, the company started to advertise e-cigarettes to Chinese customers on two e-commerce platforms, Tmall and JD.com. More than 300 million people in China regularly smoke cigarettes, and they constitute the largest tobacco market in the world.

Juul has already entered markets in South Korea, Indonesia, and other Asian countries. However, in China, the government regulates the Internet, and a state-owned monopoly controls the nation’s tobacco industry. On September 17, Juul’s storefronts on Tmall and JD.com suddenly closed.

Since the Chinese government sponsors anti-smoking campaigns, it is possible that the country’s online regulators decided to shield Chinese consumers from Juul’s potentially dangerous products. However, China also restricts business competition from foreigners. As an American company, Juul would have competed against the state-owned monopoly and numerous Chinese e-cigarette companies for market share. No Chinese authority has offered an explanation for why Juul has apparently been barred from China.

The post The United States And China Restrict E-Cigarette Sales appeared first on Addiction Center.

As the number of vaping teens and adolescents continues to rise, school districts around the nation are looking for ways to fight back. Schools across the country have banned e-cigarettes on school property over the last few years, but many students have been able to get around the rules by vaping discreetly in the bathroom or outside classrooms. Disciplinary measures for student violators have ranged from warnings to suspensions. However, in an effort to curb the number of young users, students caught vaping on school grounds can expect more than just simply a warning this school year.

In one North Texas district, students will be forced to attend an isolated weekend disciplinary school for a month if caught. Superintendent of Channing Independent School District, Michael Stevens, spoke on behalf of the new policy: “Hopefully it’s more of a deterrent… [Vaping] is a severe health problem.” Other school districts are following suit and cracking down on disciplinary measures as well. Another Texas school system went as far as to hire another resource officer to patrol the campus whose sole job is specifically looking for vaping students.

Additionally, thousands of schools across the nation have installed vaping sensors in the bathrooms to catch offenders. David Antar, president of the sensor company IPVideoCorp, said the number of weekly requests for the sensors from school districts has almost tripled to more than 200 in just the last month. The sensor devices can detect vaping in relatively hidden and concealed places like closets and bathrooms, and some are even equipped to detect THC oil.

One school in Alabama went as far as to remove all bathroom stall doors in the boys’ bathrooms in an effort to prevent vaping. Principle Gary Horton of Wilson High School in Florence, Alabama said that the rule went into effect after a student was found unconscious on the bathroom floor from “excessive vaping.”

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

New Measures: Excessive Or Necessary?

While these measures may seem excessive or extreme to some, the preventative actions follow the rise of a mysterious respiratory illness that U.S. health officials have linked to vaping. Just last month, an 18-year-old from Illinois was hospitalized with a serve pulmonary illness after using e-cigarettes for almost two years. According to his doctor, his lungs resembled that of a 70-year-old. In addition to over 450 possible cases of lung illness, seven individuals have died from the vaping related disease so far.

E-cigarettes were introduced to the U.S. market 15 years ago as safer alternative to traditional cigarettes; however, the products that were originally meant to target adult smokers now have a primarily younger consumer audience. E-cigarette companies like Juul Labs capitalized on the teen fad of vaping, marketing the products on Instagram with celebrity endorsements and falsely calling them “totally safe” without knowing the possible long-term health effects.

Due to this false advertising and easy accessibility, vaping has exploded in popularity among young people in recent years. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than 3 million U.S. high school students used e-cigarettes in 2018, which is a 78% increase from the year before. The American Medical Association has urged Americans to stop using e-cigarettes and vape pens until physicians understand the cause of the respiratory illness, but the number of young vapers has not slowed down.

Despite the new measures, high schools and middle schools are still struggling to stop students from vaping on school grounds. Not only are vape pens easy to conceal, resembling USB flash drives, but some produce no smoke and emit no scent. This makes catching students fairly hard and many school officials are hoping for a reduction in numbers soon. As e-cigarette related deaths and illnesses continue to rise, schools are continuing to look for new approaches to tackle the problem of teen vaping.

The post Schools Take Extensive Measures To Eradicate Teen Vaping appeared first on Addiction Center.

In the wake of hundreds of respiratory illnesses throughout the country, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned against the use of vape products.

The Vape Outbreaks

Throughout 33 states, over 450 cases of lung issues have occurred, and CDC investigators are trying to pin down exactly what’s happening. The most common thread between the cases is the fact that they all vape. Investigations into the effects of vaping on the lungs continue to uncover more information, but medical officials report they know very little. The Department of Health in New York is pursuing a possible lead based on an unusually high levels of vitamin E that has occurred in 38 of these cases. They admit that there’s no clear understanding of how this increase in vitamin E could affect people, but they don’t want to miss any details while trying to find out the cause of this outbreak.

To Vape Or Not To Vape

Due to uncertainty of cause, Gov. Cuomo and the NY health commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker are both urging New Yorkers to avoid vaping altogether. It could be the case that a specific brand of vape is creating the issue, or it could be endemic to the process of vaping. Until more research can be completed, medical officials suggest erring on the side of caution and avoiding vaping completely.

The investigation hinges on the patients disclosing information reliably and truthfully. Often, they report using multiple brands of vape or e-cigarette as well as multiple brands of e-liquid. These types of variations muddy the waters and increase the difficulty of pinpointing the cause. Also, because vaping marijuana has become more popular, patients in states where cannabis is still illegal are reticent to relay all the details for fear of legal repercussions. The history and trajectory of e-cigarettes help reveal some of the reasons we may be underprepared for a vaping related health crisis.

Vaping: A History

The first patent mentioning an electronic cigarette dates back to the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the turn of the millennia that vaping started its rapid expansion. Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist, created the prototype for what would be the first commercially successful e-cigarette available. Around 2006-2008, e-cigarettes were introduced into the European and North American markets, but sale and possession were swiftly curtailed, if not banned, in many countries before 2010.

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

In 2011, the FDA decides to allow the sale as e-cigarettes, but regulates them like cigarettes. That same year, studies by a preventive medical board take interest in the prospects of using e-cigarettes as replacement therapy for people addicted to traditional cigarettes. In the mid 2010s e-cigarettes and vapes explode in popularity. Grocery stores, superstores, and even gas stations carry vapes to sell to people over the age of 18.

Vaping offers a chance for companies to create different flavors than the traditional tobacco options. Fruit flavors, candy flavors, and more hit the market and by 2014 vaping’s popularity among teenagers increased rapidly. Small, concealable e-cigarettes like JUUL can be found throughout almost any middle and high school in the US.

What’s At Stake

The e-cigarette timeline contextualizes the wild popularity of vaping with the fact that it’s essentially brand new. Only a few years have passed since it’s reached the levels of widespread use it currently maintains. Not enough time has gone by to understand all of its short-term effects, let alone the effects of long-term use. After the damage caused by cigarettes, medical officials are wary of vaping and many now suggest people stop vaping until we understand what the causes of the recent lung illnesses could be.

The post Governor Of New York Advises Against The Use Of Vapes appeared first on Addiction Center.

Recent weeks have seen an escalation in lung illnesses around the country. A lethal case from Oregon has spurred research into the relation between vaping and lung disease.

Lethal Lung Illnesses

While hundreds of people have reported respiratory issues in recent weeks, Oregon health professionals are investigating what may be one of the first deaths related to vaping. Current details are limited, but the investigating health professionals confirm that it seems similar to an Illinois case, which also resulted in someone’s death after vaping. As inquiries into the exact cause of these serious lung illnesses continue, medical professionals warn against the continued use of vapes and e-cigarettes, especially among younger demographics. With the current lack of knowledge and massive popularity of vaping, cases like these may become more and more common.

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

A 2018 FDA report found that 3.6 million (1 in 5) middle and high school students admitted to vaping. From 2017-2018 the proportion of high schoolers vaping increased by 78% and middle school use rose by 48%. The FDA attributes this large growth to the design of popular vape pens. JUUL pens feature frequently in the media for their popularity. They’re slim, rectangular e-cigarettes with replaceable e-liquid cartridges which come in a variety of flavors. These flavors range from traditional tobacco and menthol, all the way to cotton candy and gummy bears.

What We Know About Vaping

For its explosive popularity, scientists admit to knowing worryingly little about the effects of vaping. In order to create vapor for inhalation, e-cigarettes need e-liquid, an oily substance heated within the vaping module. Researchers look to this first in order to assess the effects of vaping.

Almost all e-liquids contain a chemical called propylene glycol, which is known to cause both eye and lung irritation. The Dow Chemical Company advises against inhaling this substance in its safety assessment. Issues also seem to arise when the e-liquid interacts with the heating elements in the vaping module. Exposing propylene glycol to high heat can create carbonyl molecules, which make up toxic compounds like formaldehyde and acetone. Scientists aren’t sure if this byproduct is causing the recent issues or if it’s ultimately harmful at all, but they’re pursuing all possible leads.

Stepping back from the contents of the e-liquid, medical officials are also suspicious of the fine and ultra-fine particles which vaping can produce. The process of burning tobacco in traditional cigarettes also creates ultra-fine particles which contribute greatly to health risks in the lungs and heart. These particles can settle in the lungs and sit for long periods of time, possibly prolonging agitation depending on what molecules make it into the lungs. Researchers are still learning more and more about the effects unique to the vaping process, but arguably the most important chemical included in e-liquid is nicotine.

Nicotine

Many regard nicotine as one of the most chemically addictive substances in the world. Nicotine is so addictive that the industry surrounding cessation (quitting nicotine/smoking) will be worth over $21 billion by 2024. The fact that e-liquid contains nicotine is actually a selling point, because a major argument for allowing e-cigarettes was their supposed effectiveness as smoking cessation tools.

In adult populations, utilization of vapes and e-cigarettes has been shown to increase likelihood of smoking cessation. Unfortunately, the opposite seems to be true for the adolescent vaping population. The FDA notes that students who vape are more likely to “graduate” to tobacco products than their vape-less counterparts. Even if they don’t switch, medical officials worry that frequent e-cigarette use during adolescence can hook teenagers into a life-long nicotine addiction.

Another blind spot in the research around vaping is the effect nicotine has on an adolescent brain. Most studies sought to define the effects of nicotine in prenatal or adult brains. The current trend of teen vaping warrants a robust research effort to exhaust the possible risks. When considering the implications of these recent deaths, if they’re linked to vaping, the lack of knowledge becomes especially worrying.

The post Fatal Respiratory Illnesses Possibly Linked To Vaping appeared first on Addiction Center.

As e-cigarettes continue to surge in popularity among American teenagers, authorities in the Midwest are taking the initiative to protect young people from a potential source of health problems and nicotine addiction. In Michigan and Wisconsin, health officials have issued warnings about teenage vaping, and policymakers are listening.

Michigan Bans Flavored E-Cigarettes

This week, Michigan made history by becoming the first state to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. On September 3, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced in an interview that she would direct the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to enforce the ban, which will take effect once the Department outlines specific regulations. The ban will then remain in force for six months and be subject to renewal. Michigan’s new policy against selling flavored e-cigarettes will prohibit retail stores from selling them anywhere in the State and will also prohibit online merchants from selling them to Michigan residents.

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

Many e-cigarettes emit vapors with sweet flavors like “bubble gum” or “strawberry watermelon.” In response to growing pressure to prevent underage vaping, Juul and other e-cigarette companies have already begun to stop selling sweet-flavored vaping products. Under the Michigan ban, the sale of sweet, minty, and menthol flavors will all be outlawed. Governor Whitmer also directed MDHHS to continue to enforce the State’s policy against e-cigarette companies advertising their products as “safe” or “clear,” since young people sometimes start vaping because they believe it is a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes or marijuana.

Political Background For The New Policy

The Governor presented her decision as a legal measure for preventing Michigan’s teenagers from using e-cigarettes after MDHHS declared adolescent vaping a public health emergency. The health effects of e-cigarettes are still unknown, but some experts believe that vaping may cause a variety of health problems, including seizures and respiratory failure, and that they pose risks for addiction. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine and some of the toxic, carcinogenic chemicals in regular cigarettes. Last year, the FDA determined that over 3.5 million high school and middle school students smoke e-cigarettes, and numerous surveys indicate that flavored e-cigarettes appeal most powerfully to the youngest demographics.

The new policy is not universally popular. Supporters of e-cigarettes have denounced it as unfair since, under the new rules, adults in Michigan will no longer be able to buy flavored vaping products. Greg Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, called Whitmer’s policy a “shameless attempt at backdoor prohibition” that will “close down several hundred Michigan small businesses and could send tens of thousands of ex-smokers back to deadly combustible cigarettes.” His organization promised to file a lawsuit to stop the policy. Meanwhile, Governor Whitmer has vowed to veto any attempt by the state legislature to overturn the ban.

Milwaukee Tells Its Residents To Stop Vaping

In neighboring Wisconsin, the city of Milwaukee recently attacked the e-cigarette industry with a public heath warning. On August 28, the Milwaukee Health Department announced that several Milwaukee residents have recently required emergency medical care for serious respiratory ailments after using e-cigarettes or vaping marijuana. For this reason, the Milwaukee Health Department warned everyone in the city to stop vaping immediately.

The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) is urging residents to stop using any vape and/or e-cigarette devices immediately. As of August 28th, 16 individuals have been hospitalized with severe chemical pneumonitis, or chemical pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs due to aspiration or inhalation of irritants). These individuals reported using vape products or dabbing (vaping marijuana oils, extracts, or concentrates) in the weeks and months prior to hospitalization. However, at this time, the specifics of the products are unknown. Residents are again strongly encouraged to not utilize any THC products containing e-liquid.

Check if my insurance covers rehab

Addiction Center is not affiliated with any insurance.

The post Midwestern States Take Action Against Vaping appeared first on Addiction Center.