AS public health officials in the US try to identify a respiratory illness that has hospitalised vaping teenagers across the country, experts say some parents still don’t realise the dangers of the practice, which can be even more addictive than tobacco cigarettes. In recent weeks, adolescents with difficulty breathing were hospitalised, and some put on ventilators, health officials said. In the US state of Illinois 10 of these cases have been linked to vaping and 12 more are under investigation, according to local officials. There are dozens more across the country.
As state and federal health officials search for answers, experts say it’s important for parents to understand the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes — now the most used tobacco products among youths. Here are five things to know about the dangers of vaping. It’s new, and ‘no one knows’ the long-term effects E-cigarettes, or vapes are devices that heat liquid that usually contains nicotine, producing an aerosol vapour inhaled by the user.
Dr. Trevor Lewis, interim chair of emergency medicine at Chicago’s Stroger Hospital, said some parents believe vapes contain harmless water vapour. However, not only are the devices usually filled with addictive nicotine, but also flavourings “that could be chemicals we don’t know about.”
“Several things could be in this mixture that you’re inhaling into your lungs,” he said. Vaping “is still relatively new, so no one knows the long-term consequences of this.” That’s part of the concern about the new respiratory illness and its possible link to vaping that’s sent dozens to the hospital, Lewis said. Doctors do not know enough about the substances inhaled into the teens’ lungs, he said.
Karen Wolownik Albert, a social worker and executive director of a treatment centre, said she talks to parents and teens about the dangers of vaping, and she warns them about the ingredients, like glycerol, used for flavour. She said she hears from parents that a sticky substance coats their windows after a teen has vaped inside. “That’s like glycerin accumulating in your lungs.” And a recent study, published Tuesday, shows that even vapours that don’t contain nicotine can be harmful by reducing blood flow after just one puff.
Myths still exist
Despite news reports and warnings from health and school officials, some myths still exist. Vaping was marketed as a way to quit smoking, Wolownik Albert said, which has led parents to believe it’s not harmful. And parents tend to worry about “other scary things like alcohol or heroin,” she said. They’ll think, “Well at least my kid is only vaping.’” Besides the harmful and unknown ingredients inhaled during vaping, Wolownik Albert said the device itself can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Vapes are meant to be kept sterile, but “most teenagers aren’t great at keeping things clean,” she said.
Easier to hide, use and consume more
Vaping devices are less conspicuous than a smelly cigarette, making it a preferred choice of teens sneaking into their school bathrooms, experts say.
“When you think about when a teenager smokes a cigarette, it smells, it’s hard to hide from adults,” Wolownik Albert said. But that element is removed when teens use easy-to-hide, odourless vapes, she said. And because it’s easier for teens to use, they can vape more than they could smoke, leading to more nicotine. “They’re vaping so much more and getting so much more nicotine than they would get if they were smoking cigarettes,” Wolownik Albert said. “As much as (the equivalent of) a pack or more a day.”
Gateway to addiction
While smoking rates among young people had plummeted in recent years, vaping is on the rise, Wolownik Albert said. This could be responsible for a new, future generation of smokers. Because of the addictive properties of nicotine, vaping can lead to cigarette smoking as teens age, she said. “Just when we had made progress on the number of people addicted to nicotine, now we’ll have an increase.” And nicotine is often a gateway to other substances, Wolownik Albert said.
Juul , other companies under fire for targeting youth
Juul, a company that makes e-cigarettes, now faces legal challenges and allegations of marketing addictive nicotine products to teenagers, luring them in with fruity flavours. One teenager in the US has even filed a lawsuit against Juul Labs, Philip Morris US and parent company Altria, claiming the companies encouraged use of e-cigarettes among young people like him. The teenager said he started vaping at age 16, is now addicted and suffers from asthma. Juul spokesman Ted Kwong says that the company’s products were always meant for adult smokers, as an alternative to cigarettes. The company also made adjustments in the past year in response to the criticism, launching a plan to fight underage use. – dpa
