We Must Raise Awareness of Vaping Dangers
In Indiana, where I grew up, one person has died from a severe lung illness linked to vaping. The health department has confirmed eight more in Indiana seem to be suffering from this mysterious lung disease. Nine people have died nationwide, and more than 450 people are suffering from this respiratory disorder. Each day, we continue to learn more about the health effects – and dangers – associated with vaping, the use of electronic cigarettes to inhale an aerosol created by heating various liquids.
Given the gravity of the situation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has activated its Emergency Operations Center to “provide increased operational support for the response to meet the outbreak’s evolving challenges.” The CDC does not know exactly what is causing the outbreak, but a recent study suggests that exposure to a chemical, such as one of the oils used in vaping, may be to blame.
Sadly, the use of vaping has been on the rise in recent years, especially among our youth. For example, the number of middle and high school students using e-cigarettes increased by 1.5 million from 2017 to 2018. A 2018 survey sponsored by the federal government found that 21 percent of high school seniors had vaped within the previous 30 days, compared to 11 percent a year earlier. They seem to be especially attracted to flavored e-cigarettes and new, highly stylized vaping products. These kinds of increases are tragic.
Unfortunately, many young people who vape also smoke cigarettes. If the current rate of cigarette smoking among youth in our country continues, one out of every 13 Americans 17 or younger who are alive today will die early from a smoking-related illness. These statistics are disconcerting, and we must address the issue before it becomes even worse.
We applaud the agencies that have taken initiatives to understand and combat this new public health threat. The administration announced it will move to ban flavored vaping products to dissuade young people from e-cigarettes, and the United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams recently issued a public warning that smoking or vaping marijuana is dangerous for pregnant women and their developing babies. Additionally, several lawmakers are calling for more aggressive regulation of the e-cigarette industry, including addressing the vaping industry’s marketing to children. The CDC earlier this month urged doctors to ask about e-cigarette use if they treat a patient with an unclear respiratory or pulmonary illness.
While the vaping industry argues that electronic cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes and are one method in helping smokers quit, vaping has far outgrown those who previously smoked and is now leading kids to form addictive habits. The vaping industry does not seem satisfied with limiting its reach to existing smokers and seems bent on attracting new customers, including – most alarmingly – children. Early use of substances like nicotine and marijuana is specifically harmful to developing brains, affects memory and learning negatively, and could lead to additional substance use disorder later in life.
As one of the country’s leading health systems, Ascension is committed to working with our colleagues in the healthcare industry, lawmakers, educators, and parents to raise awareness of the dangers of vaping and reduce the use of all products containing nicotine. We will support legislation proactively and aggressively to make it illegal to sell vaping products to any person under 21 years of age.
Ascension will join with parents, communities, and government to protect children and educate adults about the harmful effects of these dangerous products.
Joe Impicciche is President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Louis-based Ascension, a leading non-profit and Catholic health system.
